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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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bank — of a river
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. charge — electricity
  6. tube — the underground
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bank — for money
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. bank — for money
  13. charge — in control
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. charge — a price
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. tube — a container
  20. cell — in biology
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cell — a phone
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pitch — completely

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