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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. sharp — clever
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. suit — to fit
  6. present — a gift
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. charge — a price
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a music group
  11. degree — temperature
  12. suit — in cards
  13. present — there
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. suit — clothes
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. degree — from a university
  18. degree — an amount
  19. present — the time now
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. jam — in traffic

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