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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. scale — size or range
  3. staff — employees
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bank — for money
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. degree — from a university
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bank — for money
  13. firm — decided
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. firm — a company
  18. bark — to shout
  19. firm — steady
  20. bass — low music
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bass — the fish
  24. pass — to spend time

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