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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · mine · lean · charge · suit · tube · degree · rush

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. degree — temperature
  3. suit — to fit
  4. charge — electricity
  5. suit — in cards
  6. staff — employees
  7. lean — thin
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. suit — clothes
  10. charge — in control
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. degree — an amount
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — to bend
  16. charge — a price
  17. rush — hurry
  18. degree — from a university
  19. staff — a stick
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. tube — the underground

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