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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: cabinet · rush · stick · ball · degree · fine · charge · wave

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. degree — from a university
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fine — high quality
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. degree — temperature
  10. fine — all right
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. charge — a price
  16. rush — hurry
  17. charge — in control
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. charge — electricity

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