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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: degree · calf · charge · bat · can · object · nail · bound

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. charge — electricity
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bound — certain
  5. object — a thing
  6. can — to be able to
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bound — obliged
  11. object — to protest
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. charge — a price
  14. bound — tied together
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. object — an aim
  19. charge — in control
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. can — a tin
  22. bat — the animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. degree — from a university

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