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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · bore · staff · cell · degree · leaves · can · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in biology
  4. staff — employees
  5. degree — from a university
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. staff — a stick
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. can — a tin
  10. staff — employees
  11. mark — a grade
  12. can — a tin
  13. degree — temperature
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bore — to drill
  18. can — to be able to
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bore — to tire
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. degree — an amount
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bore — gave birth

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