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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 120 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
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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: charge · can · hide · degree · ball · arm · board · clip

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. charge — in control
  4. clip — for paper
  5. can — to be able to
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. degree — from a university
  10. charge — a price
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. clip — a video
  13. ball — a dance
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. charge — electricity
  16. can — a tin
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. degree — an amount
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. degree — temperature
  22. ball — a great time
  23. clip — to cut
  24. board — a flat piece

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