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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
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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: straw · degree · suit · cap · bowl · leaves · firm · season

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. cap — a hat
  3. degree — an amount
  4. suit — clothes
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. degree — from a university
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. degree — temperature
  10. season — in sport
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. firm — a company
  14. season — of the year
  15. firm — decided
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. cap — a lid
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. firm — steady
  24. suit — in cards

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