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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: pit · face · can · track · charge · cell · cue · foot

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. charge — in control
  5. face — to point toward
  6. can — to be able to
  7. face — to confront
  8. cell — a phone
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. track — a path
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. track — a song
  14. can — a tin
  15. face — part of the head
  16. charge — a price
  17. can — a tin
  18. track — to keep track
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cell — in biology
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cue — for pool
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cell — in a prison

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