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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. suit — in cards
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. charge — in control
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. suit — clothes
  8. charge — a price
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. cell — in biology
  11. foot — a measure
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. degree — from a university
  15. suit — to fit
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. charge — electricity
  19. degree — an amount
  20. current — happening now
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. degree — temperature
  23. kick — in football
  24. pitch — a sports field

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