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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: cue · jam · bass · deal · clip · pitch · stick · craft

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. clip — for paper
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. cue — for pool
  10. clip — a video
  11. craft — boats
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bass — low music
  20. pitch — completely
  21. clip — to cut
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bass — the fish
  24. deal — an agreement

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