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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 116 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — from a university
  4. wound — an injury
  5. firm — a company
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. firm — steady
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. firm — decided
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cap — of ice
  12. kick — in football
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mark — a trace
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. mark — a grade
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bay — a horse colour

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