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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: present · staff · cap · degree · bore · snap · fine · scale

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. present — the time now
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. staff — a stick
  6. degree — an amount
  7. scale — in music
  8. staff — employees
  9. fine — all right
  10. present — there
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. present — a gift
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bore — to tire
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. cap — of ice
  20. staff — employees
  21. snap — to click
  22. degree — from a university
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bore — to drill

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