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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. charge — in control
  3. cue — for pool
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. cue — a hint
  6. band — a music group
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. cue — a signal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. degree — an amount
  11. pop — music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pop — to visit
  14. current — electric
  15. charge — a price
  16. band — a ring
  17. current — of water
  18. pop — soda
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. current — happening now
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. degree — from a university

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