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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: cue · suit · face · ball · degree · fan · racket · cap

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. cue — for pool
  3. ball — a great time
  4. face — part of the head
  5. cap — of ice
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. cap — a lid
  9. suit — in cards
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. suit — clothes
  12. degree — from a university
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — to confront
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cue — a signal
  17. degree — an amount
  18. ball — a dance
  19. degree — temperature
  20. cue — a hint
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cap — a hat

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