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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.

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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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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. degree — from a university
  3. fine — all right
  4. row — a line
  5. tear — from crying
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rest — what's left
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — temperature
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. tear — to rip
  18. fine — high quality
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. tear — from crying
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rest — a break

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