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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
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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: pop · chest · saw · jam · pitch · bass · nail · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. chest — a box
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pitch — completely
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bass — low music
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pop — music
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pop — soda
  16. chest — of your body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pop — to visit
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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