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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: present · chip · chair · pitch · object · jam · bore · mug

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mug — to rob
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chip — for betting
  7. object — to protest
  8. bore — to drill
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. mug — a face
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bore — to tire
  13. present — a gift
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mug — a cup
  19. present — the time now
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. object — a thing
  23. present — there
  24. object — an aim

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