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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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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: suit · cabinet · key · kid · pitcher · mark · track · degree

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. degree — temperature
  3. kid — child
  4. track — a song
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. key — for a lock
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. track — to keep track
  12. mark — a grade
  13. degree — an amount
  14. key — the most important part
  15. kid — to tease
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. degree — from a university
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mark — a trace
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. key — in music
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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