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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: key · present · firm · jam · pass · hand · stick · chip

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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. firm — steady
  2. chip — to eat
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. key — for a lock
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. present — there
  10. chip — for betting
  11. hand — help
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. key — the most important part
  15. firm — a company
  16. pass — a permit
  17. key — in music
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. hand — in cards
  23. firm — decided
  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