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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.

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: suit · spring · content · degree · plane · mug · wave · pitcher

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. spring — a coil
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mug — a face
  7. spring — the season
  8. degree — temperature
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. mug — to rob
  12. suit — to fit
  13. plane — a tool
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. spring — of water
  19. content — happy
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mug — a cup
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — from a university

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