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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bass — the fish
  3. charge — electricity
  4. rash — a series
  5. present — a gift
  6. charge — a price
  7. degree — temperature
  8. rash — hasty
  9. degree — from a university
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. present — the time now
  13. row — to paddle
  14. present — there
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mark — a grade
  17. charge — in control
  18. bass — low music
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. row — a line
  23. degree — an amount
  24. rash — on the skin

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