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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 one o'clock ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pitch — completely
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stock — goods
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. rush — hurry
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stock — shares
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. sharp — clever
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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