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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: stand · tube · pass · season · bark · mate · degree · charge

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. degree — temperature
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bark — to shout
  5. charge — a price
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. degree — an amount
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. season — in sport
  14. tube — the underground
  15. degree — from a university
  16. charge — in control
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. tube — a container
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pass — to succeed

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