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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 120 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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. degree — temperature
  3. pop — soda
  4. charge — in control
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a document
  10. degree — from a university
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pop — music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. squash — the sport
  16. degree — an amount
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pass — a permit
  23. charge — a price
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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