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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
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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: season · fan · can · roll · bay · present · charge · degree

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. charge — a price
  4. present — the time now
  5. roll — a cake
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. present — a gift
  9. degree — temperature
  10. can — a tin
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. charge — electricity
  13. present — there
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. charge — in control
  16. can — a tin
  17. season — in sport
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a list
  20. can — to be able to
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — an amount
  24. bay — a horse colour

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