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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. season — of the year
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bass — the fish
  5. mug — to rob
  6. toast — bread
  7. mate — a partner
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. degree — an amount
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. mug — a cup
  16. march — music
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bass — low music
  19. season — in sport
  20. foot — a measure
  21. degree — from a university
  22. march — the month
  23. march — the month
  24. mug — a face

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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