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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: jam · present · kick · bound · cabinet · pitch · drill · rash

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. drill — army training
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. present — a gift
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. present — the time now
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — hasty
  12. present — there
  13. bound — obliged
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bound — tied together
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bound — certain
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. drill — a practice
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. kick — in football
  23. drill — the tool
  24. cabinet — ministers

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