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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. degree — temperature
  3. band — a music group
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. degree — from a university
  6. rock — a stone
  7. charge — in control
  8. rock — music
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. degree — an amount
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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