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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. degree — temperature
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — in golf
  6. track — a path
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. track — a song
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stock — shares
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stock — goods
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. degree — from a university
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. swing — to play on
  22. track — to keep track
  23. degree — an amount
  24. stock — a soup base

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