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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: perch · mug · fine · key · mark · degree · stick · bat

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  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. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. mug — a cup
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mug — to rob
  12. degree — temperature
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mug — a face
  18. key — in music
  19. mark — a trace
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fine — high quality
  22. perch — the fish
  23. degree — from a university
  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