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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. can — a tin
  3. degree — from a university
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cue — a signal
  7. degree — temperature
  8. firm — decided
  9. perch — the fish
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cue — for pool
  17. firm — steady
  18. can — a tin
  19. degree — an amount
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. firm — a company
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — to hurry

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