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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 116 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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — from a university
  4. mate — a friend
  5. degree — an amount
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mate — to breed
  8. charge — a price
  9. cell — in biology
  10. charge — in control
  11. current — electric
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. band — a music group
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. cue — a hint
  23. mate — a partner
  24. pitch — completely

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