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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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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 · mark · bay · jam · mouse · hide · fork · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. chest — of your body
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. chest — of your body
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mark — a trace

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