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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. degree — temperature
  3. mug — to rob
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cap — a lid
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. charge — a price
  15. bulb — for light
  16. charge — in control
  17. degree — an amount
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mug — a face
  20. stock — shares
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stock — goods
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mug — a cup

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