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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — in control
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rest — what's left
  6. track — to keep track
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rest — a break
  9. key — the most important part
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. key — for a lock
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. key — in music
  16. row — a line
  17. row — to paddle
  18. charge — a price
  19. perch — the fish
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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