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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. row — to paddle
  3. squash — the sport
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. track — a song
  6. charge — a price
  7. degree — temperature
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. degree — an amount
  10. track — to keep track
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — to tease
  13. track — a path
  14. charge — in control
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. mug — a face
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mug — to rob
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. squash — to crush
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. row — a line
  23. degree — from a university
  24. charge — electricity

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