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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. cap — a lid
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stem — to come from
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. degree — temperature
  9. degree — from a university
  10. deal — to handle
  11. mug — a face
  12. cap — of ice
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. mug — a cup
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. mug — to rob
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. degree — an amount
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. snap — to click

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