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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.

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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bound — tied together
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. present — the time now
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. present — a gift
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. tube — a container
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. present — there
  13. bound — obliged
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. degree — from a university
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pitch — completely
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bound — certain
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — for pool

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