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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. charge — a price
  4. degree — temperature
  5. charge — in control
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. court — for sport
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. degree — an amount
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. face — to point toward
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — part of the head
  20. degree — from a university
  21. court — of law
  22. vault — a safe
  23. charge — electricity
  24. court — of a king

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