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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: lean · dip · degree · straw · content · present · sharp · leaves

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. lean — thin
  4. sharp — clever
  5. dip — to sink
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. degree — from a university
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. degree — an amount
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. present — there
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. lean — to bend
  16. content — happy
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. content — the amount
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. dip — to dunk

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