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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — from a university
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. track — a path
  6. cue — a hint
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. track — to keep track
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. shower — to wash
  13. press — to push
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cue — a signal
  16. press — newspapers
  17. cue — for pool
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. degree — an amount
  20. chip — to eat
  21. press — a publisher
  22. shower — rain
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

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