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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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Word bank
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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: temple · prune · pit · track · charge · cap · chair · bat

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. cap — a lid
  5. pit — in a race
  6. chair — a leader
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — in control
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. cap — of ice
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cap — a hat
  17. track — to keep track
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. prune — to trim
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pit — a hole
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bat — the animal

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