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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 124 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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. saw — the tool
  6. degree — an amount
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. degree — temperature
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rock — a stone
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rock — music
  22. degree — from a university
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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