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

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. charge — in control
  5. track — a song
  6. charge — a price
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. cap — a hat
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. track — a path
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. charge — electricity
  13. prune — to trim
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. prune — to trim
  17. track — to keep track
  18. cap — a lid

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