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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. club — for dancing
  6. charge — a price
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. charge — in control
  12. degree — from a university
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — size or range
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. club — for golf
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. degree — an amount
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. degree — temperature

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