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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chip · march · charge · cold · suit · plane · pit · squash

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. cold — an illness
  3. cold — not warm
  4. squash — to crush
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. charge — a price
  8. chip — to eat
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pit — a hole
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. march — the month
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. charge — electricity
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. squash — the sport
  19. march — the month
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. march — music
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. charge — in control

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