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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. degree — an amount
  3. chip — for betting
  4. cue — for pool
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ground — a position
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ground — the earth
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pit — a hole
  17. present — the time now
  18. degree — from a university
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. present — a gift
  22. ground — crushed
  23. present — there
  24. degree — temperature

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