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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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468
Word bank
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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fall — to drop
  7. charge — electricity
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. charge — a price
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pop — to visit
  14. deal — to handle
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. charge — in control
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pop — music
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. fall — the season
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fan — a supporter

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