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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 116 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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. degree — temperature
  3. staff — employees
  4. degree — from a university
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. tube — the underground
  8. board — to get on
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. staff — employees
  11. mate — a friend
  12. rule — a law
  13. degree — an amount
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mug — a cup
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. rule — government
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mug — a face
  24. staff — a stick

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