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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · mug · fall · degree · leaves · fan

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. degree — from a university
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. mug — a face
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mug — to rob
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mug — a cup
  13. fall — the season
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fall — to drop
  16. degree — temperature
  17. suit — clothes
  18. degree — an amount

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