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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 120 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. degree — an amount
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. last — to go on
  7. degree — temperature
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. can — to be able to
  10. court — of law
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. last — final
  13. degree — from a university
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. last — finally
  16. can — a tin
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — for sport
  19. cue — for pool
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. can — a tin
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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