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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: degree · rest · mouse · kick · staff · file · stem · charge

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. file — a tool
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. degree — temperature
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. charge — in control
  13. staff — a stick
  14. file — a document
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rest — a break
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. degree — an amount
  22. degree — from a university
  23. rest — what's left
  24. staff — employees

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