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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stand — to bear
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. chip — to eat
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. chip — for betting
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — a match
  13. game — wild animals
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. jam — in traffic

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