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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 116 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. last — finally
  3. pit — a hole
  4. can — a tin
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. last — to go on
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stand — to bear
  9. charge — in control
  10. can — to be able to
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wax — to grow
  14. can — a tin
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. pit — in a race
  18. charge — a price
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. last — final
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. charge — electricity

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