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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. charge — electricity
  3. fork — in a road
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. swing — in golf
  8. kid — to tease
  9. kick — in football
  10. charge — in control
  11. kid — child
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pit — a hole
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. deal — to handle
  17. swing — music
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. swing — to play on
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. charge — a price
  24. pit — in a race

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