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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mark — a grade
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. cue — a hint
  14. firm — decided
  15. degree — temperature
  16. firm — a company
  17. cue — a signal
  18. mark — a trace
  19. deal — to handle
  20. degree — from a university
  21. prune — to trim
  22. snap — to click
  23. firm — steady
  24. degree — an amount

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