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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. charge — a price
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. branch — a division
  8. pop — soda
  9. squash — to crush
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. pit — a hole
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rush — hurry
  14. charge — electricity
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. squash — the sport
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. charge — in control
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — music
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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