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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. degree — an amount
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. content — the amount
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. object — to protest
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. degree — temperature
  11. object — a thing
  12. content — happy
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. degree — from a university
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. foot — a measure
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. object — an aim

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