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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · bay · cabinet · deal · degree · suit

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. degree — temperature
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. deal — to handle
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. degree — an amount
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. suit — in cards
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. degree — from a university

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