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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — the season
  3. degree — from a university
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. charge — electricity
  8. mug — to rob
  9. charge — in control
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. track — to keep track
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. charge — a price
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mug — a face
  17. track — a path
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. degree — an amount
  20. fall — to drop
  21. degree — temperature
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mug — a cup
  24. track — a song

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