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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: field · pass · pitcher · wake · mug · clip · scale · jam

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wake — a trail
  4. field — for sport
  5. scale — size or range
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pass — a permit
  13. field — farmland
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — a cup
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. clip — to cut
  21. clip — for paper
  22. clip — a video
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. field — a subject

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