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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. charge — a price
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. vault — a safe
  7. degree — temperature
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. stand — to bear
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. degree — an amount
  13. charge — electricity
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — goods
  21. toast — bread
  22. degree — from a university
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. leaves — to go away

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