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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 116 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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. degree — temperature
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. net — after costs
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bear — the animal
  14. degree — an amount
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. net — in sport
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. net — for catching
  24. craft — boats

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