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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. object — to protest
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to click
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. degree — an amount
  7. suit — to fit
  8. net — after costs
  9. object — a thing
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — of the year
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. degree — temperature
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. suit — clothes
  16. net — in sport
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. suit — in cards
  20. degree — from a university
  21. dip — to sink
  22. net — for catching
  23. craft — boats
  24. object — an aim

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