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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mark — a grade
  3. track — a path
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. degree — temperature
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a song
  13. cue — for pool
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. snap — to click
  16. mark — a trace
  17. foot — a measure
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. degree — from a university
  22. suit — clothes
  23. degree — an amount
  24. foot — the bottom

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