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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · bass · rush · ball · pitcher · pound · mug · present

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. present — the time now
  3. ball — a dance
  4. present — there
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bass — low music
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bass — the fish
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. mug — a cup
  15. ball — a great time
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. present — a gift
  24. mug — a face

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com