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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. charge — in control
  3. chip — to eat
  4. degree — temperature
  5. lie — to recline
  6. spell — letters
  7. can — to be able to
  8. charge — a price
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. spell — magic
  11. degree — an amount
  12. chip — for betting
  13. spell — a short time
  14. suit — clothes
  15. can — a tin
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. charge — electricity
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. degree — from a university
  20. suit — in cards
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. can — a tin
  24. lie — an untruth

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