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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. degree — temperature
  3. wind — moving air
  4. degree — from a university
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bank — for money
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bank — for money
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rock — music
  18. staff — employees
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bank — of a river
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. degree — an amount
  24. mark — to pay attention

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