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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. cue — a signal
  3. degree — from a university
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. board — a committee
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. cue — a hint
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bass — low music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cue — for pool
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bass — the fish
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. degree — an amount
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. board — to get on

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