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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.

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: key · degree · hide · mug · rush · tube · fan · stick

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. degree — an amount
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. degree — temperature
  6. mug — to rob
  7. rush — hurry
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. degree — from a university
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mug — a cup
  18. key — in music
  19. mug — a face
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — a container
  24. key — for a lock

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