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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. wake — a trail
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. degree — from a university
  5. press — newspapers
  6. lean — to bend
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. dip — to sink
  10. press — a publisher
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. degree — temperature
  17. mark — a trace
  18. degree — an amount
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. press — to push
  21. cue — for pool
  22. mark — a grade
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. lean — thin

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