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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
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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: leaves · degree · content · can · wake · bear · game · rush

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wake — a trail
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. degree — from a university
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. content — the amount
  8. can — a tin
  9. degree — temperature
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. game — wild animals
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bear — the animal
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. game — a match
  17. can — to be able to
  18. degree — an amount
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bear — the animal
  21. content — happy
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. content — videos and posts

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