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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rush — hurry
  3. pop — music
  4. fine — all right
  5. row — to paddle
  6. charge — a price
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. row — a line
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bank — for money
  14. degree — from a university
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. degree — an amount
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pop — soda
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. fine — high quality

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