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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: pitcher · mark · field · arm · chip · foot · staff · jam

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. field — farmland
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — a trace
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. staff — employees
  13. field — a subject
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. field — for sport
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. staff — a stick
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. chip — to eat
  23. foot — a measure
  24. staff — employees

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