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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: present · degree · squash · lean · fine · jam · last · mug

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. squash — to crush
  7. degree — an amount
  8. mug — a cup
  9. last — final
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — temperature
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. present — a gift
  15. lean — to bend
  16. present — there
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. last — to go on
  19. lean — thin
  20. last — finally
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — to rob
  23. fine — high quality
  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