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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 120 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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. object — an aim
  3. bound — tied together
  4. present — there
  5. degree — an amount
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bound — obliged
  8. last — to go on
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. last — final
  11. degree — from a university
  12. bound — certain
  13. foot — a measure
  14. suit — to fit
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — to protest
  20. rush — hurry
  21. last — finally
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. suit — clothes
  24. degree — temperature

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