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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. degree — temperature
  3. tube — the underground
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. degree — from a university
  7. can — a tin
  8. degree — an amount
  9. march — music
  10. present — there
  11. march — the month
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — to fit
  14. tube — a container
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. march — the month
  18. can — to be able to
  19. present — a gift
  20. lie — to recline
  21. present — the time now
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. suit — in cards

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