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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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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: pop · nail · degree · saw · charge · kick · cabinet · suit

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pop — soda
  3. charge — electricity
  4. degree — from a university
  5. degree — an amount
  6. pop — to visit
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. kick — in football
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. charge — a price
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. saw — the tool
  13. suit — to fit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pop — music
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. suit — in cards
  20. charge — in control
  21. suit — clothes
  22. degree — temperature
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. kick — with a leg

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