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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: squash · wave · charge · degree · perch · mug · pit · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. degree — temperature
  3. pit — a hole
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. squash — the sport
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pit — in a race
  13. degree — an amount
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. charge — in control
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. squash — to crush
  20. degree — from a university
  21. charge — a price
  22. mug — to rob
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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