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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 · board · key · stand · jam · rule · sharp · squash

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. rule — a law
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. sharp — clever
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. pitch — completely
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. squash — to crush
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. rule — government
  14. board — a committee
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stand — to bear
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. board — to get on
  24. squash — the sport

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