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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.

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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: fork · degree · race · calf · charge · fine · squash · press

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. fork — in a road
  4. degree — temperature
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. race — a contest
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. squash — to crush
  9. degree — from a university
  10. race — humankind
  11. charge — in control
  12. degree — an amount
  13. press — to push
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. squash — the sport
  17. press — a publisher
  18. charge — a price
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. press — newspapers
  21. fine — high quality
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. race — the arms race
  24. fine — all right

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