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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. chair — a leader
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mug — a face
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. degree — an amount
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rash — a series
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. degree — temperature

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