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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitch · ruler · hand · rash · pit · jam · content · staff

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. staff — employees
  5. content — happy
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. staff — a stick
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. content — the amount
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — hasty
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pit — in a race
  20. staff — employees
  21. pit — a hole
  22. hand — help
  23. pitch — completely
  24. hand — part of the body

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