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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 120 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: pass · dip · club · hide · degree · can · pit · cue

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. degree — temperature
  7. cue — a hint
  8. dip — to sink
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. cue — for pool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. degree — an amount
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pass — a permit
  18. can — to be able to
  19. club — for dancing
  20. degree — from a university
  21. club — a group
  22. can — a tin
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. can — a tin

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