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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  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. snap — to speak sharply
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. degree — from a university
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. season — in sport
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. season — of the year
  18. bass — low music
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bass — the fish
  22. snap — to click
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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