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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.

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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: net · degree · charge · last · file · kick · swing · craft

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. kick — in football
  3. net — for catching
  4. last — to go on
  5. craft — boats
  6. charge — in control
  7. last — finally
  8. charge — electricity
  9. swing — in golf
  10. degree — temperature
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a line of people
  13. swing — to play on
  14. craft — a skill
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — an amount
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. net — in sport
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. last — final
  22. net — after costs
  23. file — a tool
  24. charge — a price

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