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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  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. degree — temperature
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bat — the animal
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cue — for pool
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. ball — a great time
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — a signal
  23. degree — from a university
  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