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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. ball — a dance
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. charge — electricity
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. toast — bread
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. swing — to play on
  13. degree — an amount
  14. degree — temperature
  15. rash — hasty
  16. charge — a price
  17. ball — a great time
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. degree — from a university
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. rash — a series
  24. trunk — of a car

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