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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. degree — temperature
  4. fine — all right
  5. degree — an amount
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. swing — in golf
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. stand — to bear
  12. degree — from a university
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. charge — in control
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — music
  18. press — newspapers
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. press — to push
  21. wax — to grow
  22. press — a publisher
  23. charge — a price
  24. fine — high quality

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