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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. object — an aim
  3. degree — temperature
  4. charge — electricity
  5. object — a thing
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — crushed
  11. charge — in control
  12. object — to protest
  13. charge — a price
  14. degree — from a university
  15. can — a tin
  16. degree — an amount
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. track — a song
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. track — a path
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. track — to keep track
  24. ground — a position

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