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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: wind · mark · cabinet · bay · charge · pit · swing · date

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. date — the fruit
  10. swing — music
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. swing — to play on
  13. charge — electricity
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wind — moving air
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. charge — a price
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. charge — in control
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. bay — a horse colour

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