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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pop — to visit
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. charge — a price
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pop — soda
  17. charge — in control
  18. net — after costs
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. net — for catching
  22. pop — music
  23. net — in sport
  24. mouse — the animal

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