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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. rush — hurry
  5. spell — a short time
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for golf
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. spell — letters
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. board — a committee
  14. club — for dancing
  15. suit — clothes
  16. degree — temperature
  17. charge — electricity
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. suit — to fit
  20. degree — from a university
  21. board — to get on
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. spell — magic
  24. degree — an amount

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