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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. degree — from a university
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. degree — an amount
  5. degree — temperature
  6. court — of law
  7. band — a ring
  8. court — of a king
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. shower — to wash
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mug — a cup
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — for pool
  16. court — for sport
  17. mug — to rob
  18. band — a music group
  19. cue — a signal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. shower — rain
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mug — a face

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