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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. degree — temperature
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wake — a trail
  8. degree — from a university
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. charge — a price
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. press — a publisher
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rock — music
  18. charge — electricity
  19. degree — an amount
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. press — to push
  22. charge — in control
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rock — to move gently

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