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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wound — an injury
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. degree — an amount
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. degree — temperature
  8. charge — a price
  9. net — for catching
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. root — the cause
  17. wound — an injury
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. degree — from a university
  20. toast — bread
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — of a plant
  23. safe — out of danger
  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