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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. hand — in cards
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — an amount
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. hand — help
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. bass — low music
  14. can — a tin
  15. bass — the fish
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rush — hurry
  19. can — a tin
  20. degree — from a university
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. firm — decided
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bass — the instrument

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