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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. current — happening now
  3. spell — letters
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. spell — magic
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. content — the amount
  13. current — of water
  14. plane — a tool
  15. current — electric
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. spell — a short time
  21. charge — in control
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pit — a hole

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