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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. march — the month
  3. pass — a permit
  4. march — the month
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. degree — an amount
  8. march — music
  9. charge — a price
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bulb — for light
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bulb — of a plant

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