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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.

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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: pass · stand · tube · deal · court · fork · degree · charge

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. court — of law
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. stand — to bear
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. degree — from a university
  8. tube — a container
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. charge — in control
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. court — for sport
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — an amount
  20. charge — a price
  21. deal — to handle
  22. court — of a king
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. fork — in a road

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