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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bark · chair · can · wake · leaves · dip · deal · degree

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. can — a tin
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. degree — temperature
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bark — to shout
  19. deal — to handle
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. chair — a leader
  23. can — a tin
  24. degree — from a university

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