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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. degree — from a university
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a great time
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bear — the animal
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. ball — a dance
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bear — the animal
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. suit — in cards
  19. degree — temperature
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. foot — a measure
  22. roll — a list
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. suit — clothes

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