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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: sharp · pitch · mouse · hand · jam · wake · suit · racket

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — clever
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. suit — to fit
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wake — a trail
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. hand — in cards
  24. racket — for tennis

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