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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rest — what's left
  9. craft — boats
  10. degree — from a university
  11. rest — what's left
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rest — a break
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rock — a stone
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. craft — a skill
  24. degree — an amount

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