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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. degree — from a university
  4. press — a publisher
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. degree — temperature
  7. rash — a series
  8. degree — an amount
  9. charge — a price
  10. press — newspapers
  11. track — a path
  12. foot — a measure
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. saw — the tool
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. track — a song
  21. press — to push
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rash — hasty

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