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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pit — a hole
  4. degree — an amount
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mark — a grade
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. race — humankind
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. game — a match
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. race — a contest
  18. pit — in a race
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. race — the arms race
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. degree — from a university
  23. vault — a safe
  24. cue — a hint

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