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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · dip · bat · key · suit · charge · degree · shower

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. last — to go on
  3. key — in music
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bat — the animal
  6. shower — to wash
  7. degree — temperature
  8. suit — in cards
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. shower — rain
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. degree — an amount
  15. suit — clothes
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. charge — in control
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. last — final
  20. last — finally
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. degree — from a university
  24. charge — a price

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