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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. root — the cause
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. ball — a great time
  5. degree — an amount
  6. degree — temperature
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. date — the fruit
  14. race — the arms race
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. race — humankind
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. charge — electricity
  23. race — a contest
  24. degree — from a university

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