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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: foot · jam · nail · stick · wound · clip · pitcher · present

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. clip — to cut
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. present — the time now
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. clip — for paper
  15. foot — a measure
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wound — an injury
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wound — an injury
  20. present — there
  21. present — a gift
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. clip — a video

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