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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bound — certain
  3. charge — a price
  4. pit — in a race
  5. mark — a grade
  6. charge — in control
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bound — tied together
  11. mark — a trace
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bound — obliged
  14. charge — electricity
  15. firm — a company
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. firm — decided
  23. pound — a weight
  24. firm — steady

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