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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pass — a permit
  4. degree — an amount
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. track — a path
  7. tear — from crying
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cold — not warm
  11. tear — to rip
  12. mark — a grade
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. degree — temperature
  15. cold — an illness
  16. track — to keep track
  17. deal — to handle
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. degree — from a university
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. tear — from crying
  22. track — a song
  23. pass — to succeed
  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