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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rest — what's left
  3. suit — clothes
  4. degree — an amount
  5. rest — a break
  6. suit — in cards
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rest — what's left
  10. degree — temperature
  11. staff — employees
  12. degree — from a university
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. swing — to play on
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. staff — employees
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. swing — in golf
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. perch — the fish
  22. suit — to fit
  23. swing — music
  24. staff — a stick

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