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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. charge — a price
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. snap — to click
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. chip — for betting
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — temperature
  17. charge — in control
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. perch — the fish
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. charge — electricity
  23. stand — to bear
  24. chip — to eat

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