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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. degree — temperature
  3. snap — to click
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. suit — to fit
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rest — a break
  9. perch — the fish
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. degree — an amount
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. suit — in cards
  15. degree — from a university
  16. wax — to grow
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. suit — clothes
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. perch — for a bird

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