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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 116 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. degree — temperature
  3. charge — in control
  4. pop — music
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. press — newspapers
  7. charge — a price
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pop — to visit
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. press — to push
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. chip — for betting
  19. charge — electricity
  20. press — a publisher
  21. kid — to tease
  22. degree — an amount
  23. kid — child
  24. degree — from a university

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