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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. degree — an amount
  3. face — to point toward
  4. degree — temperature
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. current — of water
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. row — a line
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to confront
  14. current — happening now
  15. charge — in control
  16. row — to paddle
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. charge — electricity
  21. degree — from a university
  22. firm — decided
  23. current — electric
  24. row — a quarrel

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