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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: tube · swing · hide · craft · pass · charge · perch · degree

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — a permit
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — from a university
  7. tube — a container
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. charge — a price
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. charge — electricity
  13. swing — in golf
  14. degree — an amount
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. tube — the underground
  17. perch — the fish
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. craft — boats
  24. perch — for a bird

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