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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. staff — employees
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. prune — to trim
  6. row — a line
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. degree — from a university
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. degree — an amount
  12. charge — a price
  13. row — to paddle
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stand — to bear
  16. rest — what's left
  17. charge — in control
  18. staff — a stick
  19. rest — a break
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. degree — temperature

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