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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: toast · pit · charge · mate · foot · lie · cap · last

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. last — final
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mate — a partner
  6. cap — a lid
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. toast — bread
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mate — to breed
  11. charge — in control
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — finally
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — a hole
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. cap — of ice
  20. charge — a price
  21. cap — a hat
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. charge — electricity
  24. mate — a friend

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