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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 120 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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. drill — army training
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mug — to rob
  6. drill — the tool
  7. mate — a partner
  8. cue — for pool
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. degree — temperature
  14. pitch — completely
  15. mug — a face
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mug — a cup
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. drill — a practice
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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