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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: bat · charge · present · pit · wave · dip · kick · rash

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bat — the animal
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. pit — in a race
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. charge — in control
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. charge — a price
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. charge — electricity
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rash — hasty
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. present — there
  24. rash — a series

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