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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rule — government
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. firm — steady
  9. charge — electricity
  10. toast — bread
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a match
  18. firm — decided
  19. snap — to click
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. firm — a company
  22. degree — from a university
  23. rule — a law
  24. degree — an amount

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