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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. firm — a company
  3. bank — of a river
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bank — for money
  6. degree — temperature
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. bank — for money
  10. charge — a price
  11. mate — a friend
  12. present — a gift
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. current — happening now
  15. charge — electricity
  16. mate — a partner
  17. firm — decided
  18. charge — in control
  19. degree — an amount
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mate — to breed
  22. present — there
  23. firm — steady
  24. present — the time now

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