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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cue — for pool
  3. board — a committee
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. board — to get on
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. cue — a signal
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — an amount
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry

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