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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. row — to paddle
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — temperature
  5. row — a line
  6. march — music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. march — the month
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. mug — a face
  12. last — to go on
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. mug — a cup
  16. degree — from a university
  17. last — final
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mug — to rob
  22. suit — clothes
  23. march — the month
  24. snap — to click

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