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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lie · pass · wave · fan · drill · swing · ground · degree

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. swing — to play on
  6. ground — a position
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — an amount
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. swing — in golf
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. drill — army training
  19. degree — from a university
  20. ground — crushed
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. ground — the earth
  23. drill — a practice
  24. fan — to cool the air

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