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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: pop · charge · rule · pit · can · toast · land · date

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pop — to visit
  4. land — a country
  5. can — a tin
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. date — the fruit
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. charge — a price
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. charge — in control
  12. land — to come down
  13. can — a tin
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rule — a law
  16. pit — in a race
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pop — music
  20. rule — government
  21. pop — soda
  22. toast — bread
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. toast — the most admired

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