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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.

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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: rush · fine · face · bowl · cue · degree · fork · club

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fine — high quality
  6. club — a group
  7. face — part of the head
  8. club — for golf
  9. face — to confront
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. club — for dancing
  13. face — to point toward
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. degree — from a university
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fine — all right
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. degree — an amount
  24. fork — to eat with

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