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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: degree · face · rock · stand · ball · bank · charge · cap

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rock — a stone
  3. degree — temperature
  4. bank — of a river
  5. charge — in control
  6. degree — from a university
  7. face — part of the head
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. cap — a hat
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bank — for money
  13. cap — a lid
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. charge — electricity
  16. face — to point toward
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bank — for money
  19. degree — an amount
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rock — music
  22. cap — of ice
  23. face — to confront
  24. ball — a dance

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