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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. degree — an amount
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — temperature
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mate — a partner
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pop — music
  12. rock — music
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pop — soda
  16. perch — the fish
  17. board — a committee
  18. rock — a stone
  19. board — to get on
  20. charge — in control
  21. suit — clothes
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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