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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. march — the month
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pop — soda
  5. march — music
  6. dip — to sink
  7. charge — in control
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pop — music
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pop — to visit
  14. root — of a plant
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. root — of a word
  17. charge — a price
  18. pit — in a race
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. march — the month
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. root — the cause
  24. wake — a trail

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