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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. chip — to eat
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mug — to rob
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. field — a subject
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — to get on
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mug — a cup
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. board — a committee
  18. swing — to play on
  19. field — farmland
  20. mug — a face
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. swing — music
  23. field — for sport
  24. swing — in golf

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