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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: degree · pass · hide · staff · pit · saw

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. staff — employees
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. degree — from a university
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pass — a permit
  8. degree — an amount
  9. staff — employees
  10. degree — temperature
  11. saw — the tool
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pit — a hole
  17. staff — a stick
  18. pit — in a race

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