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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: field · kick · pop · mark · jam · nail · pitch · temple

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. field — for sport
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. field — a subject
  9. pop — music
  10. pitch — completely
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. pop — to visit
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a grade
  22. field — farmland
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. kick — in football

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