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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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Word bank
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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. firm — steady
  4. mate — to breed
  5. charge — in control
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — temperature
  8. mate — a partner
  9. degree — an amount
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. staff — a stick
  12. scale — size or range
  13. firm — a company
  14. scale — in music
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. staff — employees
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. staff — employees
  19. mate — a friend
  20. charge — a price
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. firm — decided

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