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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. press — newspapers
  4. degree — temperature
  5. wake — a trail
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rush — hurry
  8. degree — an amount
  9. charge — a price
  10. saw — the tool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. press — a publisher
  15. saw — the tool
  16. charge — electricity
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. degree — from a university
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. charge — in control
  23. press — to push
  24. ball — a round shape

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