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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. degree — temperature
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. deal — to handle
  8. fork — in a road
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. degree — from a university
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. degree — an amount
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. vault — a safe
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. can — a tin
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fork — to eat with

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