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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 120 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: bear · mark · rule · chair · degree · mate · fine · leaves

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rule — a law
  6. degree — temperature
  7. chair — a leader
  8. rule — government
  9. degree — from a university
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. mate — a friend
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. degree — an amount
  17. fine — all right
  18. mate — to breed
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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