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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. firm — a company
  3. face — part of the head
  4. charge — a price
  5. spring — a coil
  6. pit — a hole
  7. spring — of water
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bound — obliged
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — to confront
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. spring — the season
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. charge — in control
  17. firm — decided
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — certain
  20. firm — steady
  21. pit — in a race
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. suit — in cards

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