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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. spell — a short time
  3. race — humankind
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rest — what's left
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rest — a break
  8. degree — an amount
  9. lean — to bend
  10. degree — temperature
  11. charge — electricity
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. charge — a price
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. race — the arms race
  20. degree — from a university
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lean — thin
  23. race — a contest
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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