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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: cell · deal · current · bowl · degree · cue

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. current — electric
  5. current — happening now
  6. degree — from a university
  7. current — of water
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. cue — a signal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. degree — an amount
  18. cue — for pool

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