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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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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: snap · date · calf · sharp · staff · cue · toast · degree

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. degree — temperature
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. degree — from a university
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to click
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. cue — for pool
  16. sharp — clever
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. staff — employees
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. cue — a hint
  22. degree — an amount
  23. cue — a signal
  24. calf — of the leg

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