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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. saw — the tool
  5. club — a group
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. degree — from a university
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bear — the animal
  24. club — for golf

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