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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. charge — a price
  14. degree — an amount
  15. suit — in cards
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. suit — to fit
  21. charge — in control
  22. degree — from a university
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. racket — for tennis

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