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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: object · pit · cell · wake · charge · craft · rush · rest

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. cell — in biology
  4. rest — a break
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rush — hurry
  10. charge — in control
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rest — what's left
  13. craft — boats
  14. charge — a price
  15. object — an aim
  16. pit — a hole
  17. object — a thing
  18. cell — a phone
  19. craft — a skill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. object — to protest

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