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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. degree — from a university
  3. content — the amount
  4. swing — in golf
  5. degree — an amount
  6. lean — thin
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. swing — to play on
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cell — a phone
  14. degree — temperature
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. season — in sport
  18. lean — to bend
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. swing — music
  22. content — happy
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. season — of the year

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