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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 124 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 can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. degree — temperature
  4. cue — a signal
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. staff — employees
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. staff — a stick
  10. lean — thin
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. lean — to bend
  13. degree — from a university
  14. staff — employees
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cue — a hint
  19. vault — a safe
  20. cell — in biology
  21. degree — an amount
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. fan — a supporter

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