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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mate — a friend
  5. charge — in control
  6. mate — to breed
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rock — music
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — an amount
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mate — a partner
  13. rest — a break
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. charge — a price
  16. cue — for pool
  17. can — a tin
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. rock — a stone

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