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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 · net · perch · cabinet · wax · coach · stick · charge

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. net — for catching
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. charge — in control
  5. degree — from a university
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. charge — a price
  8. net — in sport
  9. charge — electricity
  10. net — after costs
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wax — to grow
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. degree — temperature
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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