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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. swing — in golf
  3. cue — a hint
  4. current — happening now
  5. degree — temperature
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. current — of water
  9. can — to be able to
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. can — a tin
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. swing — music
  14. can — a tin
  15. swing — to play on
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cue — a signal
  18. current — electric
  19. cue — for pool
  20. degree — an amount
  21. sharp — clever
  22. degree — from a university
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ball — a dance

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