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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: degree · mug · can · pitch · chair · cell · scale · season

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. degree — an amount
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pitch — completely
  5. season — of the year
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. can — a tin
  8. degree — temperature
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. cell — a phone
  11. scale — in music
  12. season — in sport
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. mug — a cup
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. chair — a leader
  19. scale — size or range
  20. degree — from a university
  21. mug — a face
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. season — to add flavour

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