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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a document
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. file — a line of people
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. game — wild animals
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bat — the animal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stand — to bear
  23. game — a match
  24. jam — in traffic

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