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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. object — to protest
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pit — in a race
  10. charge — a price
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. dip — to sink
  17. object — an aim
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. charge — in control
  20. track — a song
  21. charge — electricity
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. pitcher — a jug

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