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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. can — a tin
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. degree — an amount
  5. staff — employees
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stem — to come from
  9. swing — music
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. file — a document
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. can — to be able to
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. degree — from a university
  20. can — a tin
  21. staff — employees
  22. swing — in golf
  23. swing — to play on
  24. staff — a stick

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