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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. mark — a trace
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. squash — to crush
  5. squash — the sport
  6. degree — an amount
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cap — a hat
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rush — hurry
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. degree — temperature
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cap — of ice
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. degree — from a university

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