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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: game · capital · hide · pop · pitch · kick · swing · jam

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. pitch — completely
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — soda
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. capital — money
  11. swing — music
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. game — wild animals
  14. kick — in football
  15. game — a match
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. swing — to play on
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pop — music
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. capital — a city
  23. swing — in golf
  24. game — a kind of play

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