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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 · swing · wave · pass · track · fine · fall · calf

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. fall — the season
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. fine — all right
  9. pass — a permit
  10. degree — an amount
  11. swing — music
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fall — to drop
  21. degree — from a university
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. track — a song
  24. degree — temperature

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