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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. degree — temperature
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. degree — an amount
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stem — to come from
  10. degree — from a university
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fork — in a road
  13. pit — a hole
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. deal — to handle
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. foot — a measure
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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