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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 · deal · jam · ball · straw · bowl · wind · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. wind — moving air
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mug — a face
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. ball — a dance
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. mug — to rob
  24. jam — a tight spot

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