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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: degree · rest · fine · content · firm · mug · stand · saw

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. saw — the tool
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — an amount
  5. mug — a cup
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rest — what's left
  8. content — happy
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. firm — a company
  13. mug — to rob
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mug — a face
  19. firm — decided
  20. degree — from a university
  21. rest — a break
  22. content — the amount
  23. firm — steady
  24. fine — all right

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