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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.

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 · suit · charge · press · shower · arm · bound · fork

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bound — certain
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bound — tied together
  5. suit — in cards
  6. fork — in a road
  7. shower — rain
  8. degree — temperature
  9. charge — electricity
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. press — to push
  12. shower — to wash
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. suit — to fit
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bound — obliged
  18. degree — from a university
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. charge — in control
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. charge — a price
  24. degree — an amount

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