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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. charge — in control
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. current — of water
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pound — a weight
  10. current — electric
  11. court — of law
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. court — of a king
  14. court — for sport
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. current — happening now
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. degree — from a university
  20. charge — electricity
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. degree — temperature
  24. charge — a price

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