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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 120 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 retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. degree — from a university
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rest — what's left
  5. craft — boats
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. season — of the year
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. degree — temperature
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rest — a break
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. degree — an amount
  16. row — to paddle
  17. craft — a skill
  18. charge — in control
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. row — a line
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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