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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
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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 · mouse · pop · shower · track · pitch · present · rest

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. track — to keep track
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. track — a path
  8. present — the time now
  9. pop — music
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitch — completely
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pop — soda
  18. present — there
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pop — to visit
  21. track — a song
  22. present — a gift
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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