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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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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 · snap · sharp · pitch · pound · cue · bay · cabinet

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. sharp — clever
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. snap — to click
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pitch — completely
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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