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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. track — to keep track
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. game — a match
  5. rush — hurry
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. suit — to fit
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bulb — for light
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. track — a song
  18. game — wild animals
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bulb — for light
  23. track — a path
  24. degree — from a university

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