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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.

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: prune · track · drill · wave · stick · pitcher · degree · fine

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. degree — temperature
  3. fine — all right
  4. track — a path
  5. degree — from a university
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. drill — a practice
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. degree — an amount
  10. drill — army training
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. drill — the tool
  15. prune — to trim
  16. track — a song
  17. fine — high quality
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. track — to keep track
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. wave — with your hand

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