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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. key — in music
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. game — a match
  7. key — the most important part
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. firm — steady
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. firm — a company
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. pitch — completely
  15. game — wild animals
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. vault — a safe
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. key — for a lock
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. firm — decided
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. sharp — clever

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