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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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. tube — a container
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. charge — in control
  9. pit — a hole
  10. charge — a price
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. current — electric
  14. tube — the underground
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. current — of water
  19. lean — thin
  20. root — the cause
  21. lean — to bend
  22. current — happening now
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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