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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 116 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. object — a thing
  4. cue — a signal
  5. degree — an amount
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. object — an aim
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. cue — for pool
  13. degree — from a university
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. craft — boats
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. object — to protest
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. degree — temperature

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