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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 116 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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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: degree · mug · drill · prune · mark · kick · suit · tear

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mug — a face
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mug — to rob
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. suit — clothes
  9. drill — army training
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. prune — to trim
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. drill — a practice
  15. suit — to fit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mark — a grade
  18. drill — the tool
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mark — a trace
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. degree — from a university
  23. mug — a cup
  24. tear — to rip

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