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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.

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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
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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: degree · charge · plane · bank · wound · patient · bass · bore

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. degree — temperature
  3. charge — a price
  4. bore — to tire
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bass — low music
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. charge — electricity
  11. plane — a tool
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. degree — from a university
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. wound — an injury
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bass — the fish
  23. charge — in control
  24. bank — for money

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