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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: current · squash · kid · track · charge · pit · pop · date

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. track — a path
  3. charge — in control
  4. pop — music
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pop — to visit
  7. track — a song
  8. charge — electricity
  9. squash — to crush
  10. pit — a hole
  11. current — happening now
  12. squash — the sport
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. current — electric
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. current — of water
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pop — soda
  20. charge — a price
  21. track — to keep track
  22. date — the fruit
  23. kid — child
  24. kid — to tease

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