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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. charge — a price
  4. drill — army training
  5. toast — bread
  6. degree — temperature
  7. drill — a practice
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. can — a tin
  10. charge — in control
  11. mate — to breed
  12. deal — to handle
  13. degree — from a university
  14. can — a tin
  15. charge — electricity
  16. drill — the tool
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. can — to be able to
  22. degree — an amount
  23. mate — a partner
  24. toast — the most admired

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