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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rest — what's left
  3. charge — a price
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. charge — in control
  6. degree — temperature
  7. scale — in music
  8. rest — a break
  9. march — music
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. stand — to bear
  13. march — the month
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. degree — an amount
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. charge — electricity
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — size or range
  23. march — the month
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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