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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — letters
  3. race — the arms race
  4. spell — magic
  5. charge — in control
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. degree — temperature
  9. bass — the fish
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. race — humankind
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. key — for a lock
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bass — low music
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. race — a contest
  21. degree — an amount
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. charge — a price
  24. key — in music

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