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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: jam · pitch · can · root · pit · arm · lie · march

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pit — a hole
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. lie — to recline
  11. root — of a word
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. can — to be able to
  20. root — of a plant
  21. march — music
  22. pit — in a race
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. root — the cause

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