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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. charge — electricity
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. deal — to handle
  11. charge — a price
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. charge — in control
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. date — the fruit
  16. pit — a hole
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. date — on the calendar

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