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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rash — hasty
  4. degree — from a university
  5. rash — a series
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. present — the time now
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. degree — temperature
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. present — there
  18. degree — an amount
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a music group
  23. present — a gift
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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