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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. face — to point toward
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — in a race
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. face — part of the head
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stem — to come from
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. chip — to eat
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. dip — to sink
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. face — to confront

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