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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. spell — magic
  4. net — in sport
  5. pass — a permit
  6. degree — an amount
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. net — for catching
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. net — after costs
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — a short time
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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