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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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Word bank
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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. kick — in football
  3. degree — temperature
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. degree — from a university
  6. spell — a short time
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. current — of water
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. current — happening now
  13. rash — hasty
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rash — a series
  18. charge — a price
  19. current — electric
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. spell — magic
  23. degree — an amount
  24. racket — for tennis

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