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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. charge — electricity
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. tear — from crying
  12. cue — a signal
  13. charge — in control
  14. root — of a plant
  15. date — the fruit
  16. pit — a hole
  17. cue — a hint
  18. root — the cause
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. charge — a price
  21. root — of a word
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pit — in a race

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