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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: present · ground · mouse · trunk · jam · rush · pitcher · chest

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. present — there
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. chest — of your body
  10. ground — crushed
  11. chest — a box
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. chest — of your body
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rush — hurry
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — a position

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