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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.

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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: pitcher · jam · pass · current · ball · ground · lie · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ground — the earth
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lie — to recline
  9. ground — crushed
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. current — electric
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ground — a position
  24. pitcher — in baseball

Multiple-meaning words list

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

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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