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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — temperature
  5. can — a tin
  6. spell — a short time
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. fine — high quality
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mate — a partner
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — all right
  13. can — to be able to
  14. spell — letters
  15. can — a tin
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — to rob
  18. spell — magic
  19. degree — an amount
  20. foot — a measure
  21. mug — a cup
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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