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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. key — the most important part
  3. net — for catching
  4. last — finally
  5. pit — a hole
  6. plane — a tool
  7. degree — an amount
  8. cue — a hint
  9. net — after costs
  10. cue — for pool
  11. degree — from a university
  12. cue — a signal
  13. last — to go on
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. key — for a lock
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. last — final
  18. net — in sport
  19. object — to protest
  20. key — in music
  21. degree — temperature
  22. object — a thing
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. object — an aim

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