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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. swing — to play on
  3. degree — temperature
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mug — to rob
  7. degree — an amount
  8. swing — in golf
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. spell — magic
  14. toast — bread
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. spell — letters
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. degree — from a university
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wax — to grow
  24. swing — music

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