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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 120 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pop — music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. last — finally
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pit — a hole
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. swing — music
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. last — final
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. last — to go on
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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