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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. degree — temperature
  5. suit — in cards
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. stock — goods
  9. spring — the season
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. degree — an amount
  12. net — in sport
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. spring — a coil
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. spring — of water
  19. net — for catching
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. net — after costs
  23. stock — shares
  24. spell — magic

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