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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: plane · object · charge · bore · degree · squash · nail · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. charge — electricity
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bore — to tire
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. charge — a price
  9. object — a thing
  10. charge — in control
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. degree — temperature
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. object — to protest
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bore — to drill
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. object — an aim
  20. degree — from a university
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. plane — a tool
  24. squash — the sport

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