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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: degree · foot · plane · cue · track · cabinet · stick · content

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. content — happy
  9. content — the amount
  10. degree — temperature
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cue — a signal
  14. track — to keep track
  15. plane — a tool
  16. track — a path
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. track — a song
  19. cue — a hint
  20. degree — an amount
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. foot — a measure
  23. degree — from a university
  24. plane — in geometry

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