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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 120 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: drill · fine · wake · cue · leaves · degree · kick · mate

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. cue — for pool
  6. mate — a partner
  7. fine — high quality
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. degree — an amount
  10. drill — the tool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. fine — all right
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mate — a friend
  15. degree — from a university
  16. drill — a practice
  17. cue — a hint
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. drill — army training
  21. mate — to breed
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. degree — temperature
  24. kick — a thrill

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