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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bat — the animal
  4. pop — soda
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. pop — music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cue — for pool
  24. stand — for spectators

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