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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pit — a hole
  3. charge — electricity
  4. can — a tin
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pit — in a race
  7. spell — letters
  8. object — a thing
  9. charge — in control
  10. press — newspapers
  11. object — an aim
  12. field — for sport
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. field — farmland
  15. object — to protest
  16. spell — magic
  17. can — to be able to
  18. charge — a price
  19. press — a publisher
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. press — to push
  22. spell — a short time
  23. field — a subject
  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