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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. charge — electricity
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. degree — temperature
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. march — the month
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. march — music
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. degree — an amount
  18. fork — in a road
  19. march — the month
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — a price
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. degree — from a university
  24. pitch — completely

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