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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. club — a group
  4. degree — temperature
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cap — of ice
  8. object — a thing
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. object — an aim
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cap — a lid
  15. charge — a price
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — a phone
  18. fine — all right
  19. club — for golf
  20. degree — from a university
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. object — to protest
  23. cap — a hat
  24. fine — high quality

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