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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. degree — temperature
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bark — to shout
  5. row — a line
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. charge — a price
  10. tube — a container
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. degree — an amount
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. charge — in control
  17. present — there
  18. row — to paddle
  19. present — the time now
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. present — a gift
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rush — to hurry

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