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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. squash — the sport
  4. degree — an amount
  5. kid — child
  6. degree — temperature
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. squash — to crush
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. can — a tin
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. can — to be able to
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. can — a tin
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. lean — thin
  21. rush — hurry
  22. kid — to tease
  23. degree — from a university
  24. pitch — completely

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