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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
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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: pop · charge · pit · mark · cell · press · game · jam

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pop — to visit
  4. press — a publisher
  5. pit — in a race
  6. press — to push
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. charge — in control
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. charge — electricity
  11. press — newspapers
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. game — a match
  14. pop — music
  15. cell — in biology
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. pop — soda
  20. game — wild animals
  21. mark — a grade
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. mark — a trace
  24. cell — a phone

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