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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. object — a thing
  3. degree — from a university
  4. cue — for pool
  5. degree — temperature
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bulb — for light
  11. object — to protest
  12. rock — music
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. file — a tool
  18. fine — all right
  19. rock — a stone
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cap — a hat
  22. object — an aim
  23. degree — an amount
  24. cap — of ice

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