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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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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. degree — temperature
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. scale — size or range
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. degree — from a university
  11. field — for sport
  12. fine — high quality
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — farmland
  15. degree — an amount
  16. fine — all right
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rock — music

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