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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 120 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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pit — a hole
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — in control
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. land — ground
  14. foot — a measure
  15. land — a country
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. game — a match
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rush — hurry
  23. game — wild animals
  24. land — to come down

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