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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. degree — an amount
  5. track — a song
  6. press — to push
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. charge — in control
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. charge — a price
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. drill — the tool
  14. degree — from a university
  15. press — newspapers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. press — a publisher
  18. drill — a practice
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. charge — electricity
  21. saw — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. saw — the tool

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