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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: suit · mate · degree · last · lean · row · firm · pitcher

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. mate — to breed
  4. degree — temperature
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. row — to paddle
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. last — final
  9. firm — decided
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. lean — to bend
  14. suit — clothes
  15. row — a line
  16. last — to go on
  17. degree — an amount
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. degree — from a university
  20. mate — a partner
  21. firm — a company
  22. last — finally
  23. firm — steady
  24. mate — a friend

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