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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. cap — a lid
  4. track — a song
  5. track — a path
  6. degree — from a university
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cap — a hat
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. track — to keep track
  15. can — a tin
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rush — hurry
  18. degree — an amount
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. foot — a measure
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cap — of ice
  24. can — a tin

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