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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cue · charge · cabinet · racket · spell · arm · degree · spring

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. charge — a price
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spell — a short time
  8. cue — a signal
  9. degree — an amount
  10. spring — the season
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. degree — from a university
  13. spring — of water
  14. cue — a hint
  15. charge — electricity
  16. degree — temperature
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. cue — for pool
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. spell — magic
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. spell — letters

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