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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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · date · degree · racket · mouse · charge · rule · pop

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pop — to visit
  4. degree — temperature
  5. degree — an amount
  6. charge — in control
  7. rule — government
  8. pop — soda
  9. degree — from a university
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. date — the fruit
  12. charge — a price
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pop — music
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. charge — electricity
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  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