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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. charge — in control
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pop — to visit
  7. degree — temperature
  8. rest — what's left
  9. row — a line
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. charge — a price
  12. degree — an amount
  13. row — to paddle
  14. ground — a position
  15. degree — from a university
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rest — a break
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pop — soda
  23. ground — crushed
  24. pop — music

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