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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. season — in sport
  3. root — the cause
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pit — a hole
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. charge — a price
  11. root — of a word
  12. season — of the year
  13. root — of a plant
  14. tear — to rip
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pit — in a race
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — from crying

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