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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. degree — from a university
  3. pass — a permit
  4. degree — an amount
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. degree — temperature
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rock — music
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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