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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wake · file · pop · foot · pit · charge · clip · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. charge — a price
  4. pit — a hole
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pop — to visit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. clip — for paper
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. file — a line of people
  13. clip — to cut
  14. foot — a measure
  15. clip — a video
  16. file — a document
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. file — a tool
  22. pop — soda
  23. charge — in control
  24. pop — music

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