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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. net — after costs
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. last — final
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. spell — magic
  11. last — to go on
  12. spell — a short time
  13. last — finally
  14. lean — thin
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. net — in sport
  18. pass — a permit
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. lean — to bend
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. spell — letters
  23. net — for catching
  24. staff — a stick

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