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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. object — an aim
  3. charge — in control
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. charge — a price
  7. mate — a partner
  8. object — a thing
  9. race — a contest
  10. ball — a great time
  11. race — humankind
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mate — to breed
  14. race — the arms race
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pit — in a race
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ball — a dance
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. charge — electricity
  24. object — to protest

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