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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. field — a subject
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. season — in sport
  7. field — for sport
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. firm — steady
  11. field — farmland
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. season — of the year
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. dip — to sink
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. degree — from a university
  24. degree — an amount

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