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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. drill — the tool
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. degree — from a university
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bass — the fish
  15. drill — army training
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pit — in a race
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. drill — a practice
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bass — low music
  24. degree — an amount

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