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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. degree — an amount
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. degree — temperature
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. charge — in control
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. bulb — for light
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. staff — employees
  24. fan — to cool the air

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