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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. charge — a price
  3. face — part of the head
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — to point toward
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bulb — for light
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rule — a law
  19. pit — a hole
  20. charge — in control
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rule — government
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. plane — an aircraft

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