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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: stand · hand · cap · degree · fine · cabinet · pop · mate

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. stand — to bear
  5. hand — in cards
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mate — a friend
  8. degree — from a university
  9. cap — a lid
  10. degree — an amount
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. pop — soda
  14. degree — temperature
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. hand — help
  18. mate — to breed
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pop — music
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — of ice

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