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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.

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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. degree — an amount
  3. pop — soda
  4. charge — electricity
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. charge — a price
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pop — music
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. charge — in control
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pop — to visit
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bank — for money
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. degree — temperature
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. degree — from a university

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