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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. scale — in music
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bulb — for light
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. degree — from a university
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. charge — in control
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. charge — a price
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. charge — electricity
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. degree — temperature
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. scale — size or range
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. arm — part of the body

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