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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: capital · jam · band · pitch · bowl · ball · mouse · suit

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. suit — in cards
  3. capital — money
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. band — a ring
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. band — a music group
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. capital — a city
  24. suit — clothes

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