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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. key — the most important part
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. chair — a leader
  8. charge — in control
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. can — a tin
  12. degree — an amount
  13. charge — electricity
  14. can — a tin
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. charge — a price
  17. degree — temperature
  18. can — to be able to
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. degree — from a university
  23. key — in music
  24. chair — a professorship

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