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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. season — of the year
  5. mug — a face
  6. fine — all right
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. season — in sport
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mug — a cup
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. degree — from a university
  20. mug — to rob
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. degree — an amount
  24. tube — in a tire

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