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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: jam · fan · bat · pit · pitcher · ruler · wave · rock

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pit — a hole
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rock — a stone
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rock — music
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bat — the animal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ruler — for measuring

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