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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.

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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: mug · rash · lean · can · degree · scale · prune · mine

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. scale — in music
  4. can — a tin
  5. prune — to trim
  6. scale — size or range
  7. degree — from a university
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. can — a tin
  11. mug — a cup
  12. prune — to trim
  13. rash — a series
  14. degree — an amount
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — for digging
  19. lean — thin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. can — to be able to
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mug — a face
  24. lean — to bend

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