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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: charge · racket · mark · cabinet · swing · mug · degree · kick

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. charge — in control
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mug — to rob
  5. degree — from a university
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mug — a face
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mark — a trace
  15. kick — in football
  16. charge — electricity
  17. swing — in golf
  18. charge — a price
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. degree — temperature
  21. swing — music
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. degree — an amount
  24. racket — for tennis

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