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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. track — to keep track
  3. squash — the sport
  4. present — there
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. pit — a hole
  9. squash — to crush
  10. present — the time now
  11. perch — the fish
  12. track — a song
  13. charge — a price
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. track — a path
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. charge — in control
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. present — a gift

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