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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mug — to rob
  3. present — there
  4. mug — a cup
  5. degree — an amount
  6. can — a tin
  7. chair — a leader
  8. mug — a face
  9. can — a tin
  10. spell — magic
  11. fine — high quality
  12. spell — letters
  13. track — a path
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. present — the time now
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. degree — from a university
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. degree — temperature
  20. can — to be able to
  21. track — to keep track
  22. present — a gift
  23. fine — all right
  24. spell — a short time

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