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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. degree — from a university
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pit — a hole
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pit — in a race
  21. face — to confront
  22. kick — in football
  23. degree — an amount
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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