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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. degree — temperature
  3. suit — clothes
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. suit — to fit
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. degree — from a university
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bear — the animal
  11. perch — the fish
  12. degree — an amount
  13. tube — the underground
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. tube — a container
  23. bear — the animal
  24. straw — dry grass

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