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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.

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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: pitcher · lash · mate · pound · degree · suit · club · pass

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. degree — temperature
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. degree — an amount
  10. club — for golf
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. suit — to fit
  13. degree — from a university
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mate — a friend
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. club — for dancing
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. suit — in cards
  23. club — a group
  24. pound — a weight

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