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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. press — newspapers
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. degree — from a university
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. mate — a partner
  9. press — a publisher
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. press — to push
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. degree — temperature
  18. degree — an amount
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. snap — to click
  21. charge — a price
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pitcher — a jug

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