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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. suit — to fit
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. firm — decided
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pitch — completely
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. cue — a signal
  10. firm — steady
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. suit — clothes
  15. field — for sport
  16. suit — in cards
  17. field — a subject
  18. cue — a hint
  19. firm — a company
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. field — farmland

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