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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. can — to be able to
  4. charge — a price
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. degree — temperature
  7. can — a tin
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. degree — from a university
  10. current — electric
  11. degree — an amount
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. can — a tin
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. foot — a measure
  17. charge — in control
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. current — happening now
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. charge — electricity
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. current — of water

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