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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
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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: mark · lie · ball · present · mug · kick · cue · degree

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. present — a gift
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. degree — an amount
  7. lie — to recline
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mark — a grade
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mark — a trace
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. kick — in football
  15. mug — a face
  16. degree — from a university
  17. ball — a dance
  18. degree — temperature
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. present — the time now
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. present — there
  24. mug — to rob

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