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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 120 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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pop — soda
  4. degree — an amount
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pop — to visit
  7. degree — from a university
  8. root — of a word
  9. march — the month
  10. root — the cause
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. charge — electricity
  14. march — the month
  15. root — of a plant
  16. can — a tin
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. key — the most important part
  19. degree — temperature
  20. pop — music
  21. can — a tin
  22. march — music
  23. foot — a measure
  24. charge — in control

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