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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pit — in a race
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. staff — employees
  7. chip — for betting
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cap — a lid
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pit — a hole
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. cap — of ice
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. rest — a break
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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