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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: bear · present · charge · plane · bay · field · ball · degree

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. present — a gift
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bear — the animal
  6. degree — temperature
  7. ball — a dance
  8. field — a subject
  9. field — farmland
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. plane — a tool
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bear — the animal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. charge — a price
  19. degree — from a university
  20. field — for sport
  21. charge — in control
  22. present — the time now
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. present — there

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