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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: track · charge · bowl · firm · degree · fan · deal · chair

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. firm — steady
  4. charge — a price
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. firm — a company
  7. track — a path
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. degree — from a university
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. degree — an amount
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. charge — electricity
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. degree — temperature
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. chair — a leader
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. charge — in control

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