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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. charge — a price
  3. wound — an injury
  4. date — the fruit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pit — in a race
  7. charge — in control
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. pit — a hole
  11. rash — a series
  12. charge — electricity
  13. object — an aim
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. rash — hasty
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. current — of water
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. pitch — completely

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