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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 120 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. club — for dancing
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pit — a hole
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. club — for golf
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. plane — a tool
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. club — a group
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. charge — in control
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. prune — to trim
  24. plane — an aircraft

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