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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: present · race · foot · can · mark · charge · degree · key

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. degree — temperature
  3. mark — a grade
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. key — for a lock
  7. present — the time now
  8. key — in music
  9. charge — in control
  10. degree — from a university
  11. can — to be able to
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. mark — a trace
  15. degree — an amount
  16. race — the arms race
  17. present — a gift
  18. foot — a measure
  19. race — a contest
  20. charge — a price
  21. key — the most important part
  22. race — humankind
  23. present — there
  24. foot — the bottom

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