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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: bound · temple · degree · mug · bear · charge · stick · tube

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bound — tied together
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mug — a face
  5. degree — temperature
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bound — certain
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bound — obliged
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. degree — from a university
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. degree — an amount
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bear — the animal

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