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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. degree — temperature
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cap — a lid
  6. charge — a price
  7. degree — an amount
  8. cap — a hat
  9. net — for catching
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. charge — electricity
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cap — of ice
  16. current — happening now
  17. net — after costs
  18. current — electric
  19. charge — in control
  20. current — of water
  21. craft — a skill
  22. net — in sport
  23. bulb — for light
  24. craft — a handicraft

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