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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bank — of a river
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — an amount
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pass — a permit
  10. key — in music
  11. bank — for money
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. season — of the year
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. degree — from a university
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bank — for money

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