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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. file — a document
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. tear — to rip
  7. charge — a price
  8. cue — for pool
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. cue — a hint
  12. charge — in control
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. file — a line of people
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. file — a tool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. tear — from crying
  24. can — a tin

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