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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 · dip · craft · track · snap · pitch · firm · fine

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. firm — steady
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. fine — high quality
  6. track — a song
  7. craft — a skill
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. firm — decided
  13. track — a path
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. track — to keep track
  16. snap — to click
  17. craft — boats
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. firm — a company
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. pitch — completely
  23. dip — to sink
  24. pitch — a sports field

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