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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cell — a phone
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bore — to drill
  7. can — a tin
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. charge — a price
  10. can — to be able to
  11. charge — in control
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. charge — electricity
  14. degree — temperature
  15. degree — from a university
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. can — a tin
  19. firm — a company
  20. degree — an amount
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. firm — steady
  23. bore — to tire
  24. cell — in biology

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