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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. degree — from a university
  4. mate — a friend
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pit — a hole
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. mate — to breed
  10. clip — for paper
  11. degree — temperature
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. clip — to cut
  14. clip — a video
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. stand — to bear
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mate — a partner
  21. wax — to grow
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. charge — in control
  24. ruler — for measuring

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