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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.

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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: bear · cue · bay · pop · fine · bound · degree · rock

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bound — obliged
  5. degree — an amount
  6. pop — music
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. degree — from a university
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bound — certain
  12. rock — a stone
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pop — soda
  21. rock — music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. cue — a signal

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