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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. degree — temperature
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. mug — to rob
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cap — a hat
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. cap — a lid
  11. mug — a face
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. content — the amount
  14. mug — a cup
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cap — of ice
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — an amount
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. snap — to click
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. content — happy
  24. wave — of the sea

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