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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: mug · sharp · leaves · jam · capital · ruler · hide · pitch

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. pitch — completely
  8. sharp — clever
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. mug — a cup
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. capital — money
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. capital — a city
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  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