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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: can · saw · degree · dip · pop · cell · cue · pit

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. pit — a hole
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cell — a phone
  8. pop — to visit
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. degree — temperature
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pop — music
  17. cue — a hint
  18. degree — an amount
  19. cue — a signal
  20. degree — from a university
  21. pop — soda
  22. can — a tin
  23. saw — the tool
  24. can — to be able to

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