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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: bay · charge · pit · pitcher · date · trunk · content · prune

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. charge — in control
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. charge — electricity
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pit — a hole
  13. content — happy
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pit — in a race
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. charge — a price
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — the amount
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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