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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  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 — in a race
  2. cue — a hint
  3. net — after costs
  4. charge — a price
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bank — for money
  8. charge — in control
  9. bank — of a river
  10. net — in sport
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bank — for money
  14. band — a ring
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. cue — a signal
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. net — for catching
  19. cue — for pool
  20. suit — in cards
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a music group
  23. straw — dry grass
  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