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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. toast — bread
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. charge — electricity
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — a price
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. degree — an amount
  11. club — a group
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. band — a music group
  14. degree — temperature
  15. band — a ring
  16. degree — from a university
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. club — for golf
  19. pit — a hole
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. club — for dancing
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pit — in a race
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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