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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. current — of water
  3. deal — to handle
  4. ground — the earth
  5. charge — in control
  6. field — for sport
  7. field — a subject
  8. current — electric
  9. current — happening now
  10. ground — crushed
  11. wax — to grow
  12. staff — employees
  13. degree — an amount
  14. ground — a position
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. staff — a stick
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. degree — from a university
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. field — farmland
  22. staff — employees
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. wax — in the ear

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