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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. degree — temperature
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. mug — a cup
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. staff — employees
  9. shower — rain
  10. cue — a hint
  11. shower — to wash
  12. staff — a stick
  13. degree — an amount
  14. degree — from a university
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pound — a weight
  20. staff — employees
  21. cue — a signal
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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