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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. pop — soda
  3. degree — an amount
  4. pop — to visit
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. staff — employees
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pop — music
  12. track — to keep track
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. track — a song
  16. degree — from a university
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. staff — employees
  19. scale — in music
  20. staff — a stick
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. track — a path
  24. scale — for weighing

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