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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chest · press · pit · pass · rule · kick · charge · foot

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. chest — of your body
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. charge — in control
  5. pass — a permit
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — newspapers
  13. foot — a measure
  14. chest — of your body
  15. kick — in football
  16. chest — a box
  17. rule — government
  18. pit — a hole
  19. charge — a price
  20. rule — a law
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. press — to push
  24. pass — to spend time

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