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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.

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: pit · bear · snap · charge · game · patient · pop · dip

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pop — music
  3. charge — in control
  4. bear — the animal
  5. snap — to click
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. game — wild animals
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pop — to visit
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. charge — a price
  12. pop — soda
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pit — a hole
  16. game — a match
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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