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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: fork · game · pass · saw · charge · degree · kid · rock

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. kid — to tease
  4. degree — temperature
  5. pass — a permit
  6. degree — from a university
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. charge — a price
  11. saw — the tool
  12. game — wild animals
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. rock — a stone
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — a match
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. charge — in control
  21. kid — child
  22. degree — an amount
  23. rock — music
  24. pass — to succeed

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