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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. charge — in control
  5. vault — a safe
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. cue — a signal
  9. degree — from a university
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. cue — a hint
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bound — obliged
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bound — certain
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bound — tied together
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. dip — to sink
  20. charge — a price
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. plane — a tool
  24. degree — an amount

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