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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. firm — steady
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. snap — to click
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. cue — a hint
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. degree — an amount
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. firm — decided
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — a cup
  17. firm — a company
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. degree — temperature
  21. cue — a signal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. mouse — the animal

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