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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. can — a tin
  5. rush — hurry
  6. degree — an amount
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. can — to be able to
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — from a university
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rest — what's left
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. can — a tin
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. perch — the fish
  24. rest — a break

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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