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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
468
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: mark · arm · pitch · content · game · cabinet · firm · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. game — a match
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. firm — decided
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mark — a trace
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. firm — steady
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. game — wild animals
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. mark — a grade
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. firm — a company
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — happy
  24. pitch — completely

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