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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mark — a grade
  3. branch — a division
  4. swing — music
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mark — a trace
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. suit — to fit
  11. swing — in golf
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. swing — to play on
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. degree — an amount
  16. tube — a container
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rest — what's left
  19. degree — temperature
  20. pound — a weight
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. suit — in cards
  23. degree — from a university
  24. branch — of a tree

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