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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. degree — temperature
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bound — obliged
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. mug — to rob
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bound — certain
  18. snap — to click
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mug — a face
  22. degree — from a university
  23. suit — in cards
  24. temple — side of the head

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