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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. charge — in control
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — temperature
  5. drill — army training
  6. land — a country
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — a signal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. degree — from a university
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. land — to come down
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. drill — a practice
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. cue — for pool
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — a trail
  23. drill — the tool
  24. land — ground

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