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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.

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
468
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: degree · leaves · patient · mug · march · foot · dip · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. degree — from a university
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. march — the month
  6. chip — to eat
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mug — a cup
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. degree — temperature
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. degree — an amount
  17. march — the month
  18. dip — to sink
  19. mug — to rob
  20. march — music
  21. mug — a face
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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