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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. degree — an amount
  5. can — a tin
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. foot — a measure
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — happy
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. degree — from a university
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. degree — temperature
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. can — to be able to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. row — a line
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. can — a tin
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. row — to paddle

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