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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. degree — from a university
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. degree — temperature
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. drill — the tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. bass — the fish
  9. kick — in football
  10. drill — a practice
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. drill — army training
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stem — to come from
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — low music
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. degree — an amount
  24. can — to be able to

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