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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. degree — temperature
  3. squash — the sport
  4. suit — to fit
  5. stem — to come from
  6. key — the most important part
  7. degree — from a university
  8. current — happening now
  9. cue — a signal
  10. net — after costs
  11. cue — for pool
  12. suit — clothes
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. current — electric
  15. cue — a hint
  16. suit — in cards
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. degree — an amount
  19. net — for catching
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. net — in sport
  22. current — of water
  23. key — for a lock
  24. squash — to crush

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