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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: tube · swing · degree · present · lie · safe · charge · court

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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. tube — in a tire
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. swing — music
  4. degree — temperature
  5. present — the time now
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. court — of a king
  8. degree — from a university
  9. tube — a container
  10. court — for sport
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. court — of law
  15. charge — a price
  16. degree — an amount
  17. present — a gift
  18. swing — in golf
  19. present — there
  20. swing — to play on
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. tube — the underground
  23. charge — electricity
  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