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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: bound · swing · jam · safe · suit · stem · arm · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bound — obliged
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bound — certain
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. stem — to come from
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bound — tied together
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. swing — music
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. swing — to play on

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