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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rock — a stone
  6. fine — high quality
  7. degree — an amount
  8. mug — to rob
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. mug — a face
  11. degree — from a university
  12. march — the month
  13. staff — employees
  14. mug — a cup
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rock — music
  17. march — the month
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. march — music
  20. fine — all right
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. prune — to trim

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