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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
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: pop · arm · patient · mug · racket · lean · pass · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mug — a face
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pass — a permit
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pop — music
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mug — to rob
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. degree — an amount
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. mug — a cup
  21. degree — from a university
  22. lean — thin
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. pop — soda

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