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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. march — music
  3. can — to be able to
  4. degree — from a university
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. march — the month
  8. race — a contest
  9. degree — an amount
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. can — a tin
  13. race — the arms race
  14. charge — a price
  15. root — of a word
  16. suit — clothes
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. can — a tin
  19. suit — in cards
  20. charge — electricity
  21. race — humankind
  22. suit — to fit
  23. march — the month
  24. degree — temperature

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