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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. rule — a law
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — from a university
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. degree — an amount
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. club — for dancing
  12. suit — to fit
  13. foot — a measure
  14. club — for golf
  15. rule — government
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. club — a group
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mine — for digging
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bowl — a football final

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