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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 120 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. ground — crushed
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. degree — temperature
  10. ground — a position
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rush — hurry
  13. degree — an amount
  14. ground — the earth
  15. degree — from a university
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. mug — a cup
  18. can — a tin
  19. prune — to trim
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mug — a face
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. can — to be able to

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