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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — hurry
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. charge — in control
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rash — hasty
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rash — a series
  16. press — to push
  17. game — a match
  18. press — newspapers
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. charge — a price
  22. game — wild animals
  23. safe — out of danger
  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