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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: bore · racket · charge · cue · key · calf · sharp · degree

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — in control
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. charge — electricity
  8. degree — from a university
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. cue — for pool
  12. sharp — clever
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. degree — temperature
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. degree — an amount
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cue — a hint
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. key — in music
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bore — to drill
  24. cue — a signal

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