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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: straw · degree · kick · charge · mark · lean · cabinet · deal

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. degree — an amount
  6. degree — from a university
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. degree — temperature
  9. lean — thin
  10. charge — in control
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. charge — a price
  14. kick — in football
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mark — a trace
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. charge — electricity
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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