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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 120 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: degree · track · ball · can · ground · suit · cue · race

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. ground — a position
  4. track — a path
  5. ground — crushed
  6. can — to be able to
  7. race — the arms race
  8. degree — from a university
  9. can — a tin
  10. track — to keep track
  11. race — a contest
  12. suit — to fit
  13. track — a song
  14. suit — clothes
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. degree — an amount
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ground — the earth
  19. cue — a hint
  20. race — humankind
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. degree — temperature
  24. can — a tin

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