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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: tube · court · lean · degree · rule · charge · ball · fine

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. charge — in control
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. fine — all right
  6. degree — temperature
  7. court — of a king
  8. degree — from a university
  9. court — of law
  10. degree — an amount
  11. rule — a law
  12. lean — thin
  13. charge — a price
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. rule — government
  16. lean — to bend
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fine — high quality
  19. court — for sport
  20. ball — a great time
  21. charge — electricity
  22. ball — a dance
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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