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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. prune — to trim
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. deal — to handle
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pit — in a race
  13. charge — a price
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. rest — what's left
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — a match
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. suit — to fit
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pit — a hole
  22. game — wild animals
  23. file — a tool
  24. deal — an agreement

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