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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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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: pit · charge · bear · date · cabinet · plane · prune · race

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. plane — a tool
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. date — the fruit
  7. pit — a hole
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. charge — a price
  14. prune — to trim
  15. charge — electricity
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. charge — in control
  19. bear — the animal
  20. race — a contest
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. race — humankind
  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