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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 120 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wake — a trail
  4. degree — temperature
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. club — a group
  7. charge — in control
  8. content — the amount
  9. club — for dancing
  10. suit — clothes
  11. content — happy
  12. present — there
  13. present — the time now
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. degree — an amount
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. present — a gift
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. degree — from a university
  22. club — for golf
  23. suit — in cards
  24. trunk — of a car

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