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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.

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: foot · suit · pound · bore · roll · degree · object · leaves

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. degree — an amount
  4. suit — clothes
  5. roll — a list
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. suit — in cards
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bore — to tire
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. object — an aim
  22. degree — from a university
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — of a tree

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