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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: vault · bat · tube · pass · suit · stand · object · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. 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. degree — temperature
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pass — a permit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. tube — the underground
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. vault — a safe
  11. degree — from a university
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. object — an aim
  14. bat — the animal
  15. object — a thing
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. tube — a container
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. object — to protest
  24. 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