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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: mine · charge · plane · degree · can · foot · object · perch

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mine — for digging
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. can — to be able to
  7. degree — an amount
  8. plane — a tool
  9. object — a thing
  10. degree — temperature
  11. charge — in control
  12. object — to protest
  13. can — a tin
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. foot — a measure
  16. charge — a price
  17. can — a tin
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. perch — the fish
  21. degree — from a university
  22. object — an aim
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mine — an explosive

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