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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. toast — bread
  4. mate — to breed
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — an amount
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mate — a partner
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mate — a friend
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. degree — from a university
  18. cabinet — a cupboard

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