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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. cue — for pool
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. firm — a company
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. firm — steady
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bore — to tire
  9. swing — to play on
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. firm — decided
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. degree — temperature
  15. bore — to drill
  16. swing — in golf
  17. degree — from a university
  18. ball — a dance
  19. swing — music
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. deal — to handle
  23. degree — an amount
  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