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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.

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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: bowl · charge · key · lash · mouse · stick · degree · safe

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. charge — electricity
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. degree — an amount
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. key — the most important part
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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