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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. tube — a container
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rest — a break
  5. charge — a price
  6. bass — the fish
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. charge — in control
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. tube — the underground
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bass — low music
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. charge — electricity
  22. rock — music
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pit — a hole

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