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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: fan · jam · object · mate · degree · mouse · charge · ball

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. mate — to breed
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. ball — a great time
  5. degree — temperature
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mate — a friend
  9. object — to protest
  10. charge — a price
  11. degree — an amount
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. charge — in control
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. object — a thing
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. object — an aim
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ball — a dance
  24. charge — electricity

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