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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
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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: object · key · degree · cold · firm · cue · can · dip

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. can — to be able to
  3. dip — to sink
  4. degree — from a university
  5. firm — decided
  6. object — to protest
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. cue — a hint
  10. key — for a lock
  11. cold — an illness
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. firm — a company
  16. degree — temperature
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cold — not warm
  19. object — an aim
  20. key — the most important part
  21. firm — steady
  22. key — in music
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. degree — an amount

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