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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: charge · last · can · foot · bass · scale · kick · degree

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. can — a tin
  3. degree — from a university
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bass — low music
  6. charge — a price
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — in music
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. can — to be able to
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. last — to go on
  17. last — final
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bass — the fish
  20. degree — temperature
  21. charge — in control
  22. can — a tin
  23. last — finally
  24. degree — an amount

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