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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. degree — from a university
  3. pop — to visit
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pop — soda
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. mug — a face
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. degree — temperature
  14. squash — to crush
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mate — to breed
  18. squash — the sport
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mate — a partner
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pop — music

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