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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. chip — for betting
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pit — in a race
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. track — a path
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. kick — in football
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. track — a song
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. hand — help
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. hand — in cards
  22. track — to keep track
  23. pit — a hole
  24. nail — on a finger

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