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

Word bank: lean · degree · pass · safe · straw · rest · rock · perch

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. degree — an amount
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. perch — the fish
  5. degree — temperature
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. rest — a break
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. lean — to bend
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. rest — what's left
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. lean — thin
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. degree — from a university

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