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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: pitch · kid · jam · mug · bowl · ruler · hand · lash

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. kid — child
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pitch — completely
  15. hand — help
  16. kid — to tease
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mug — a cup
  19. hand — in cards
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. mug — a face
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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