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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. charge — electricity
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. charge — a price
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. pitch — completely
  7. degree — from a university
  8. charge — in control
  9. degree — temperature
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. degree — an amount
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. chip — for betting
  17. fine — high quality
  18. drill — a practice
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. drill — army training
  21. fine — all right
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — to eat

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