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

Word bank: arm · toast · kid · jam · pitch · chip · racket · current

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. toast — bread
  4. chip — to eat
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. pitch — completely
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. current — happening now
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. current — of water
  16. kid — to tease
  17. current — electric
  18. kid — child
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. racket — for tennis

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