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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: rash · kid · file · season · content · lie · pitch · jam

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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. content — videos and posts
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. lie — to recline
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pitch — completely
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. file — a document
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. rash — a series
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. content — the amount
  16. file — a line of people
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — to tease
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — in sport
  21. file — a tool
  22. rash — hasty
  23. content — happy
  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