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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 120 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. charge — electricity
  3. degree — temperature
  4. press — newspapers
  5. degree — from a university
  6. press — to push
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. staff — employees
  10. charge — in control
  11. staff — a stick
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. press — a publisher
  14. foot — a measure
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. land — to come down
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. staff — employees
  21. degree — an amount
  22. land — a country
  23. kick — in football
  24. charge — a price

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