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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: mate · chip · board · season · firm · cue · pass · degree

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. degree — an amount
  2. cue — a hint
  3. chip — to eat
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mate — a friend
  7. season — in sport
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. board — to get on
  12. chip — for betting
  13. degree — from a university
  14. firm — steady
  15. mate — to breed
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. degree — temperature
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. mate — a partner
  20. pass — a permit
  21. cue — for pool
  22. season — of the year
  23. pass — to spend time
  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