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

Word bank: cell · pass · degree · trunk · saw · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. 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. pit — in a race
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. cell — a phone
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. saw — the tool
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. pass — a permit
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pit — a hole
  13. degree — temperature
  14. cell — in biology
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. degree — from a university
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. 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