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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mate — a friend
  5. charge — in control
  6. cue — for pool
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — an amount
  9. cue — a signal
  10. spell — magic
  11. mate — to breed
  12. degree — from a university
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. staff — a stick
  16. spell — a short time
  17. staff — employees
  18. mate — a partner
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. spell — letters
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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