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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: cap · toast · rock · degree · charge · bore · pitch · mouse

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. degree — an amount
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. charge — electricity
  6. degree — temperature
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bore — to tire
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. charge — a price
  17. toast — bread
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. charge — in control
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. cap — a hat
  24. toast — the most admired

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