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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. charge — in control
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wake — a trail
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. prune — to trim
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. charge — electricity
  10. net — after costs
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. pit — a hole
  13. content — happy
  14. content — the amount
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stand — to bear
  17. net — for catching
  18. charge — a price
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — in a race
  23. net — in sport
  24. fan — a supporter

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