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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 120 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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. march — music
  3. degree — temperature
  4. march — the month
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. degree — an amount
  11. march — the month
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. can — a tin
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. stem — to come from
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. swing — music
  22. charge — in control
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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