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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: racket · bear · rash · roll · date · charge · safe · degree

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. charge — in control
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. rash — a series
  6. roll — a cake
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. degree — an amount
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. degree — temperature
  11. charge — electricity
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bear — the animal
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. charge — a price
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. date — the fruit
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. roll — a list
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bear — the animal

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