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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. swing — to play on
  7. degree — temperature
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. stand — to bear
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. degree — an amount
  16. degree — from a university
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. mouse — the animal

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