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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: pitch · wake · fine · can · snap · jam · straw · season

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. can — a tin
  5. fine — high quality
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. snap — to click
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — completely
  15. can — a tin
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. season — of the year
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fine — all right
  24. season — in sport

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