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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pass — a permit
  4. degree — an amount
  5. swing — to play on
  6. degree — temperature
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bank — for money
  9. bear — the animal
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bank — for money
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rock — a stone
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. swing — music
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. scale — in music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bank — of a river
  24. scale — for weighing

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