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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. kick — in football
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. degree — temperature
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. mate — to breed
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. suit — to fit
  9. saw — the tool
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. degree — an amount
  14. staff — employees
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mate — a friend
  17. pound — a weight
  18. degree — from a university
  19. mate — a partner
  20. staff — employees
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rush — hurry
  24. saw — the tool

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