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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: jam · safe · stand · clip · straw · pitch · stick · trunk

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. clip — to cut
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. pitch — completely
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. stand — to bear
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. clip — a video
  20. clip — for paper
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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