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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. pit — a hole
  3. charge — in control
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. pit — in a race
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. object — an aim
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. kick — in football
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. chip — to eat
  19. wake — a trail
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — a thing
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. chip — for betting

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