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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pop — soda
  6. degree — from a university
  7. firm — a company
  8. pop — music
  9. firm — decided
  10. charge — in control
  11. degree — an amount
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. firm — steady
  14. degree — temperature
  15. game — a match
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pass — a permit
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. game — wild animals
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. pass — to succeed

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