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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rush — hurry
  6. degree — an amount
  7. degree — temperature
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ground — the earth
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rock — a stone
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. degree — from a university
  19. deal — to handle
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. ground — a position
  24. rock — music

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