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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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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. can — a tin
  4. suit — in cards
  5. degree — an amount
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. degree — temperature
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. can — to be able to
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wax — to grow
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. suit — clothes
  21. can — a tin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. degree — from a university
  24. chip — to eat

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