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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: club · dip · charge · wake · face · rock · pit · mouse

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. face — part of the head
  5. dip — to sink
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. charge — a price
  8. pit — in a race
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pit — a hole
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rock — music
  16. club — a group
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. face — to confront
  22. wake — a trail
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — for golf

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