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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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 — from a university
  4. stem — to come from
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. race — the arms race
  8. charge — a price
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. sharp — clever
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. charge — electricity
  14. degree — an amount
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. race — humankind
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. race — a contest
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. degree — temperature
  24. pass — to succeed

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