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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. degree — temperature
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — to rob
  6. degree — from a university
  7. object — to protest
  8. rest — what's left
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. saw — the tool
  11. object — a thing
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mug — a cup
  14. can — a tin
  15. saw — the tool
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. object — an aim
  18. stand — to bear
  19. degree — an amount
  20. rest — a break
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. can — a tin
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. can — to be able to

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