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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: ruler · pitch · jam · key · present · perch · bass · swing

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. present — the time now
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. swing — music
  7. key — in music
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. present — a gift
  11. bass — low music
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bass — the fish
  20. perch — the fish
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pitch — completely
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. present — there

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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