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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. land — a country
  5. mark — a trace
  6. current — of water
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — an amount
  9. cold — not warm
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. cold — an illness
  13. current — electric
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. land — ground
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. degree — from a university
  22. land — to come down
  23. current — happening now
  24. cue — a hint

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