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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. charge — in control
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. content — happy
  5. ground — the earth
  6. wake — a trail
  7. ground — crushed
  8. toast — bread
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. charge — electricity
  13. ground — a position
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. charge — a price
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. content — the amount
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. vault — a safe
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pass — a permit

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