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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rash — a series
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. degree — temperature
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — a weight
  13. degree — from a university
  14. fine — high quality
  15. degree — an amount
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fine — all right
  24. rash — hasty

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