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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rush · degree · cap · cabinet · fine · track · staff · lean

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a song
  5. staff — employees
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. track — a path
  9. degree — an amount
  10. rush — hurry
  11. lean — thin
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. lean — to bend
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. staff — a stick
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. staff — employees
  19. degree — from a university
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — a penalty

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