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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 116 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: degree · stand · charge · bark · ground · stick · bore · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ground — the earth
  5. degree — from a university
  6. tube — a container
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. degree — temperature
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bore — to drill
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bark — to shout
  20. ground — crushed
  21. charge — a price
  22. ground — a position
  23. charge — in control
  24. tube — in a tire

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