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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: charge · toast · bass · pop · pit · snap · object · stick

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. snap — to click
  4. charge — a price
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. pop — soda
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. pop — to visit
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. object — a thing
  14. pop — music
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. charge — in control
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bass — the fish
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pit — a hole
  21. object — an aim
  22. bass — low music
  23. object — to protest
  24. toast — bread

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