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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. suit — clothes
  5. march — the month
  6. degree — temperature
  7. foot — a measure
  8. march — music
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — an amount
  12. march — the month
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. track — a path
  15. track — a song
  16. ground — the earth
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wake — a trail
  20. track — to keep track
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. ground — a position

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