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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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Word bank
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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. charge — a price
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. degree — temperature
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. current — happening now
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rash — hasty
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. current — electric
  15. degree — an amount
  16. current — of water
  17. stand — to bear
  18. fork — in a road
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. fine — all right
  21. rash — a series
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. degree — from a university
  24. charge — in control

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