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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: mate · net · degree · pitcher · deal · scale · pit · cue

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. deal — to handle
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. degree — an amount
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pit — in a race
  10. degree — temperature
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. mate — a partner
  15. cue — a hint
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. degree — from a university
  19. scale — in music
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mate — to breed
  24. cue — a signal

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