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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. pit — a hole
  2. scale — size or range
  3. content — the amount
  4. root — of a plant
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. suit — in cards
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. scale — in music
  9. suit — to fit
  10. game — wild animals
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — an amount
  13. stand — to bear
  14. suit — clothes
  15. root — the cause
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. game — a match
  18. degree — from a university
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. root — of a word
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  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