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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. season — of the year
  3. file — a document
  4. date — the fruit
  5. charge — electricity
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pop — music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pop — to visit
  14. charge — in control
  15. pit — a hole
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pop — soda
  19. file — a line of people
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mark — a grade
  23. file — a tool
  24. charge — a price

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