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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: degree · pit · charge · suit · bear · foot · lean · bat

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. degree — temperature
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. degree — an amount
  6. charge — electricity
  7. degree — from a university
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. charge — a price
  12. bat — the animal
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bear — the animal
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. lean — to bend
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pit — in a race
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bat — in an idiom

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