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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: charge · racket · pit · last · jam · degree · face · bulb

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. last — to go on
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. face — to confront
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. degree — an amount
  10. degree — from a university
  11. pit — in a race
  12. face — to point toward
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — electricity
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. charge — a price
  18. last — final
  19. face — part of the head
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pit — a hole
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bulb — for light
  24. jam — a tight spot

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