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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
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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: mouse · season · pitch · firm · shower · jam · cabinet · racket

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. shower — rain
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — in sport
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. firm — a company
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pitch — completely
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. firm — steady
  19. shower — to wash
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. firm — decided
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. season — of the year

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