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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. cue — a hint
  3. degree — an amount
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. degree — from a university
  7. lie — to recline
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. degree — temperature
  10. charge — in control
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pop — to visit
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. firm — steady
  17. pop — soda
  18. cue — a signal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. firm — decided
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pop — music
  24. firm — a company

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