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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. present — a gift
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. sharp — clever
  12. present — there
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. staff — a stick
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rush — hurry
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. present — the time now
  21. staff — employees
  22. pass — a permit
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pitch — completely

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