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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. swing — in golf
  3. stand — to bear
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. swing — to play on
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — temperature
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stem — to come from
  18. swing — music
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. degree — an amount
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. charge — electricity
  24. stem — of a plant

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