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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.

Make a worksheet

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: jam · scale · current · pitch · racket · foot · lash · mine

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mine — for digging
  5. current — happening now
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. current — electric
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. scale — size or range
  10. pitch — completely
  11. scale — in music
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. foot — a measure
  21. current — of water
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. foot — the bottom

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