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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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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: bound · stand · nail · jam · pitch · mine · kick · straw

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bound — certain
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. stand — to bear
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — completely
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. kick — in football
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bound — tied together

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