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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 116 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: rule · key · mate · degree · patient · mark · cue · lie

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. degree — temperature
  3. key — the most important part
  4. lie — to recline
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mark — a trace
  7. key — in music
  8. cue — for pool
  9. mate — to breed
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. rule — government
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. degree — from a university
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. degree — an amount
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rule — a law
  20. mark — a grade
  21. cue — a hint
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. mate — a partner
  24. lie — an untruth

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