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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · track · suit · stick · pass · scale · chair · net

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. degree — temperature
  3. scale — size or range
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. degree — an amount
  7. net — after costs
  8. track — to keep track
  9. net — for catching
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. pass — a permit
  13. suit — to fit
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. net — in sport
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. track — a path
  20. suit — in cards
  21. degree — from a university
  22. track — a song
  23. chair — a leader
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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