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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: toast · pit · roll · season · content · tear · charge · hand

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. pit — a hole
  3. charge — in control
  4. tear — to rip
  5. season — of the year
  6. charge — a price
  7. tear — from crying
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. hand — in cards
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. charge — electricity
  15. roll — a list
  16. hand — help
  17. content — the amount
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. season — in sport
  20. pit — in a race
  21. toast — bread
  22. tear — from crying
  23. roll — a cake
  24. content — happy

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