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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. ball — a dance
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ball — a great time
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. plane — a tool
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. stand — to bear
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bulb — for light
  19. degree — from a university
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. charge — a price
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stand — for spectators

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