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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: racket · hide · wind · cue · cell · wave · firm · degree

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cue — for pool
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. degree — temperature
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wind — moving air
  8. degree — an amount
  9. wind — moving air
  10. cell — a phone
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. firm — a company
  13. degree — from a university
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. firm — decided
  20. cue — a hint
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. firm — steady
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wave — with your hand

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