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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. cue — for pool
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — from a university
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. cue — a hint
  8. suit — clothes
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rock — a stone
  13. suit — to fit
  14. swing — music
  15. swing — in golf
  16. rock — music
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. game — a match
  19. swing — to play on
  20. degree — an amount
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. suit — in cards
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — a straw man

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