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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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Word bank
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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: degree · lie · clip · deal · cap · trunk · staff · rush

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. deal — to handle
  3. degree — an amount
  4. clip — to cut
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. staff — employees
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. cap — a lid
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. clip — a video
  11. staff — employees
  12. clip — for paper
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cap — of ice
  18. degree — from a university
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lie — to recline
  21. cap — a hat
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. staff — a stick
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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