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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rest — what's left
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. charge — in control
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. degree — an amount
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. degree — from a university
  10. rest — what's left
  11. charge — a price
  12. face — part of the head
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. degree — temperature
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — to confront
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — to get on
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. board — a committee
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. board — a flat piece
  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