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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.

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: mark · degree · fine · cabinet · squash · capital · staff · kick

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. staff — a stick
  5. capital — a city
  6. fine — all right
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. degree — temperature
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. squash — the sport
  12. capital — money
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mark — a trace
  16. degree — from a university
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. staff — employees
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. degree — an amount
  22. mark — a grade
  23. squash — to crush
  24. staff — employees

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