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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. date — the fruit
  3. degree — from a university
  4. ball — a dance
  5. lean — to bend
  6. charge — a price
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. spell — magic
  9. lean — thin
  10. spell — a short time
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stand — to bear
  20. charge — in control
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. degree — an amount
  23. spell — letters
  24. degree — temperature

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