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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. object — an aim
  5. mark — a trace
  6. ground — a position
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pit — in a race
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. charge — a price
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. object — to protest
  17. ground — the earth
  18. mark — a grade
  19. chair — a leader
  20. pit — a hole
  21. object — a thing
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. charge — in control

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