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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. net — in sport
  6. degree — temperature
  7. net — for catching
  8. deal — to handle
  9. tube — a container
  10. stem — to come from
  11. suit — to fit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. net — after costs
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. degree — an amount
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. degree — from a university
  19. prune — to trim
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. suit — in cards
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. tube — the underground

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