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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mug — to rob
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — from a university
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to click
  15. club — a group
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mug — a face
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — clever
  21. club — for dancing
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. club — for golf
  24. degree — an amount

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