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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: track · ball · bay · bear · stick · cue · mug · degree

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. degree — from a university
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cue — for pool
  5. degree — temperature
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. track — a song
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. degree — an amount
  23. mug — a face
  24. bear — the animal

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