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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. field — a subject
  3. row — to paddle
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. cue — for pool
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. cue — a signal
  9. degree — temperature
  10. ball — a dance
  11. degree — an amount
  12. ball — a great time
  13. charge — a price
  14. cue — a hint
  15. field — farmland
  16. bank — of a river
  17. degree — from a university
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bank — for money
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. field — for sport
  23. row — a line
  24. bank — for money

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