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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 120 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 · charge · bat · season · temple · stand · plane · pit

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. stand — to bear
  5. charge — a price
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. charge — in control
  8. season — of the year
  9. degree — an amount
  10. season — in sport
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bat — the animal
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pit — in a race
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. charge — electricity
  23. degree — temperature
  24. temple — side of the head

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