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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pit — in a race
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. kid — to tease
  13. charge — a price
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — a series
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. can — a tin
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bass — low music
  21. charge — in control
  22. kid — child
  23. prune — to trim
  24. can — a tin

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