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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: mark · hand · object · scale · fork · charge · vault · degree

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. degree — temperature
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — in cards
  5. degree — an amount
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — in music
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. charge — a price
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mark — a grade
  15. degree — from a university
  16. vault — a safe
  17. object — to protest
  18. fork — in a road
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — an aim
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. scale — for weighing

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