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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: ruler · foot · track · march · last · stick · jam · pitcher

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. march — the month
  5. track — a song
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. track — to keep track
  12. last — final
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. track — a path
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. march — music
  22. last — to go on
  23. march — the month
  24. last — finally

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