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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  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. jam — to spread on bread
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — an amount
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. board — to get on
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. present — there
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. rush — hurry
  12. suit — in cards
  13. dip — to sink
  14. board — a committee
  15. suit — clothes
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. suit — to fit
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rush — a thrill
  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