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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. degree — temperature
  3. charge — in control
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. charge — a price
  8. object — to protest
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for dancing
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. degree — an amount
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. rush — hurry
  18. club — for golf
  19. cap — a hat
  20. degree — from a university
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. roll — a list
  24. roll — a cake

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