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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. present — a gift
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. date — the fruit
  6. chip — to eat
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. hand — in cards
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. pitch — completely
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. present — there
  16. chair — a leader
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. board — a committee
  19. present — the time now
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. hand — help

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