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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
468
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: object · bass · fan · rush · mark · degree · dip · rash

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. object — to protest
  5. bass — the fish
  6. dip — to sink
  7. object — an aim
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rush — hurry
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bass — low music
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rash — a series
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — temperature
  18. degree — an amount
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rash — hasty
  23. object — a thing
  24. mark — a trace

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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