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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.

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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 · current · charge · can · bore · pit · cabinet · swing

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. degree — from a university
  4. pit — a hole
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. can — a tin
  7. degree — an amount
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. can — a tin
  13. bore — to drill
  14. swing — to play on
  15. current — happening now
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. degree — temperature
  19. current — electric
  20. current — of water
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. swing — in golf
  23. charge — a price
  24. swing — music

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