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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: degree · fine · game · mouse · charge · lash · bass · pass

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — wild animals
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. bass — low music
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. charge — in control
  9. degree — temperature
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bass — the fish
  14. degree — from a university
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. game — a match
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. degree — an amount
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. lash — an eyelash

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