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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. degree — an amount
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. degree — temperature
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. key — in music
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. degree — from a university
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cue — for pool
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fall — to drop
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. cue — a signal

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