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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. current — of water
  5. saw — the tool
  6. press — newspapers
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. staff — employees
  10. current — electric
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. press — a publisher
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. current — happening now
  17. saw — the tool
  18. press — to push
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. staff — a stick
  21. dip — to sink
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. snap — to click

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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