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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. degree — temperature
  3. present — there
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mark — a trace
  9. land — to come down
  10. degree — from a university
  11. land — a country
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. degree — an amount
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. present — the time now
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. land — ground

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