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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: rest · dip · mark · degree · can · saw · arm · spring

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mark — a grade
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mark — a trace
  5. degree — an amount
  6. rest — a break
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. degree — from a university
  9. dip — to sink
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rest — what's left
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. degree — temperature
  15. spring — of water
  16. spring — the season
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. can — a tin
  21. spring — a coil
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. dip — a sauce

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