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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. degree — an amount
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. sharp — clever
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — temperature
  10. club — for golf
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. suit — in cards
  14. club — for dancing
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. stem — to come from
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. club — a group

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