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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. can — a tin
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. degree — temperature
  6. firm — steady
  7. press — a publisher
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. degree — from a university
  12. firm — a company
  13. wake — a trail
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. press — to push
  17. can — to be able to
  18. degree — an amount
  19. lean — to bend
  20. press — newspapers
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. can — a tin
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. firm — decided

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