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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: degree · bulb · charge · safe · deal · prune · cap · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. deal — to handle
  3. degree — from a university
  4. charge — in control
  5. degree — temperature
  6. charge — a price
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. charge — electricity
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — a lid
  12. prune — to trim
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. degree — an amount
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. prune — to trim
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cap — of ice
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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