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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: stick · degree · leaves · court · chip · stand · key · fine

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. court — of law
  3. key — the most important part
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. key — in music
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fine — all right
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. court — for sport
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. chip — to eat
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — an amount
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stand — to bear
  20. court — of a king
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. key — for a lock
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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