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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 120 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. degree — temperature
  3. suit — clothes
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. pit — a hole
  7. chair — a leader
  8. mate — a partner
  9. rash — a series
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. current — electric
  14. suit — to fit
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. ball — a great time
  19. degree — from a university
  20. rash — hasty
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — to breed
  23. degree — an amount
  24. pit — in a race

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