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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: jam · lie · sharp · spring · racket · pitch · fine · present

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — all right
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. spring — of water
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pitch — completely
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. spring — a coil
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — there
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. lie — to recline
  22. sharp — clever
  23. present — a gift
  24. sharp — exactly

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