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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bank — of a river
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bank — for money
  14. degree — from a university
  15. degree — temperature
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. can — to be able to
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bass — low music
  24. 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