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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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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: saw · jam · suit · pitch · swing · stick · pound · spell

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. spell — a short time
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. suit — clothes
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. spell — magic
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pitch — completely
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. pound — a weight
  15. saw — the tool
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. suit — to fit
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. saw — the tool
  22. spell — letters
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — music

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