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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. land — to come down
  3. degree — temperature
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. dip — to sink
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fork — in a road
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — an amount
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mug — to rob
  19. land — a country
  20. land — ground
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stand — to bear
  23. mug — a face
  24. dip — to dunk

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