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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cue — a hint
  5. toast — bread
  6. degree — from a university
  7. mug — a cup
  8. degree — an amount
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. degree — temperature
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ground — the earth
  15. cue — a signal
  16. ground — crushed
  17. mug — to rob
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. stem — to come from
  20. cue — for pool
  21. ground — a position
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. wave — with your hand

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