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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.

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: straw · content · can · degree · row · chip · mark · mug

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. row — to paddle
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. content — the amount
  8. can — to be able to
  9. row — a line
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. degree — an amount
  15. chip — for betting
  16. can — a tin
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. can — a tin
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. mug — a cup
  23. degree — temperature
  24. content — happy

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