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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. land — a country
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. charge — in control
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cap — a lid
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pit — in a race
  11. charge — a price
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. cap — a hat
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. vault — a safe
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. land — ground
  22. rest — a break
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. land — to come down

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