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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: jam · suit · kick · mug · mouse · straw · field · capital

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. mug — to rob
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. suit — clothes
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. field — for sport
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. capital — money
  15. field — farmland
  16. mug — a face
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. kick — in football
  19. field — a subject
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. capital — a city
  22. mug — a cup
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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