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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. degree — temperature
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. fine — high quality
  7. suit — to fit
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fine — all right
  10. rush — hurry
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stem — to come from
  14. degree — from a university
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. rush — a thrill

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