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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: degree · bass · suit · march · ball · nail · straw · rock

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bass — the fish
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. rock — music
  7. degree — from a university
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rock — a stone
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bass — low music
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. degree — temperature
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. degree — an amount
  18. march — the month
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. ball — a dance
  24. march — music

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