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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. degree — an amount
  4. cue — a hint
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. land — a country
  10. capital — a city
  11. mark — a grade
  12. degree — temperature
  13. degree — from a university
  14. land — to come down
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. capital — money
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. land — ground

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