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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 116 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: tube · degree · charge · bound · bay · club · deal · game

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bound — obliged
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. tube — a container
  10. charge — a price
  11. deal — to handle
  12. game — a match
  13. charge — in control
  14. club — a group
  15. degree — an amount
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — for dancing
  22. degree — from a university
  23. deal — an agreement
  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