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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. charge — in control
  4. last — finally
  5. degree — an amount
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bound — obliged
  9. last — to go on
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bound — certain
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mug — a cup
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. charge — a price
  18. bound — tied together
  19. degree — temperature
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rash — a series
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. charge — electricity
  24. degree — from a university

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