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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. charge — in control
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. track — a song
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — to visit
  7. charge — electricity
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. track — a path
  10. game — a match
  11. present — a gift
  12. bound — certain
  13. charge — a price
  14. pit — in a race
  15. present — the time now
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pit — a hole
  19. game — wild animals
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pop — music
  22. bound — tied together
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. present — there

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