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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. tube — a container
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pop — music
  5. charge — a price
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bank — of a river
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pop — to visit
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pop — soda
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. tube — the underground
  16. dip — to sink
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pit — a hole
  20. charge — in control
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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