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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 · trunk · cabinet · pitch · pop · toast · perch · land

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. toast — bread
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. land — ground
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. land — to come down
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — to visit
  17. land — a country
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pop — soda
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. jam — a tight spot

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