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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. degree — temperature
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. charge — electricity
  5. press — newspapers
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rest — a break
  8. charge — in control
  9. plane — a tool
  10. wind — moving air
  11. degree — an amount
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — a measure
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rest — what's left
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. press — to push
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. degree — from a university
  22. wind — moving air
  23. press — a publisher
  24. charge — a price

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