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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. last — to go on
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. suit — clothes
  7. court — of law
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. court — of a king
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pass — a permit
  12. court — for sport
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pitch — completely
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. sharp — clever
  19. last — finally
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. suit — to fit
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. last — final
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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