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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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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 · rest · root · wind · pitcher · swing · calf · charge

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rest — what's left
  6. degree — from a university
  7. rest — what's left
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. root — the cause
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rest — a break
  13. charge — electricity
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. degree — temperature
  17. wind — moving air
  18. charge — in control
  19. degree — an amount
  20. charge — a price
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. swing — to play on

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