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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pop — soda
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. degree — temperature
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. charge — in control
  14. bulb — for light
  15. craft — a skill
  16. degree — from a university
  17. deal — to handle
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. craft — boats
  21. bank — for money
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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