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

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. degree — temperature
  3. mug — a cup
  4. degree — from a university
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mug — a face
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pit — in a race
  14. stock — goods
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. degree — an amount
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. face — to point toward
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. face — to confront
  22. stock — shares
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mug — to rob

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