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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. tube — the underground
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pitch — completely
  5. tube — a container
  6. charge — in control
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — army training
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. pit — a hole
  18. charge — electricity
  19. drill — the tool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. mine — for digging
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cabinet — ministers

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