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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. degree — temperature
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mug — a face
  6. rest — a break
  7. degree — an amount
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bank — for money
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bank — of a river
  17. mug — to rob
  18. rash — hasty
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bank — for money
  23. rash — a series
  24. plane — a tool

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