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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. deal — to handle
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — an amount
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bear — the animal
  20. swing — to play on
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bulb — for light
  23. swing — music
  24. sharp — with an edge

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