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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. cue — a hint
  3. prune — to trim
  4. cue — a signal
  5. degree — temperature
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. fall — the season
  11. cue — for pool
  12. root — of a word
  13. rush — hurry
  14. degree — an amount
  15. fall — to drop
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a plant
  18. fall — to drop
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. object — to protest
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. prune — to trim

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