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

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. current — happening now
  4. land — a country
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitch — completely
  13. current — electric
  14. charge — in control
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. current — of water
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. degree — from a university
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pitch — a sports field

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