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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: hide · jam · kid · mug · pitch · calf · hand · toast

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. pitch — completely
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mug — a face
  12. toast — bread
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. kid — child
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. mug — to rob
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. kid — to tease
  22. hand — help
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. hide — to keep secret

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