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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.

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: degree · spell · key · board · cue · rule · straw · lie

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. rule — a law
  5. spell — magic
  6. lie — to recline
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. key — the most important part
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. board — a committee
  12. rule — government
  13. degree — an amount
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. cue — a hint
  17. key — for a lock
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. degree — from a university
  21. key — in music
  22. board — to get on
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — for pool

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