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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: bear · charge · calf · degree · ball · dip · march · date

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. ball — a dance
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. bear — the animal
  6. charge — a price
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. degree — from a university
  9. march — the month
  10. bear — the animal
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. date — the fruit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. degree — temperature
  18. charge — electricity
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. degree — an amount
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. charge — in control
  24. date — on the calendar

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