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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 120 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 took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. degree — from a university
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — a measure
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. content — the amount
  8. object — a thing
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. degree — temperature
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. degree — an amount
  14. stand — to bear
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. object — an aim
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. object — to protest
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. content — happy

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