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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 120 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: degree · bound · kick · firm · ball · stick · pass · coach

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bound — certain
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bound — obliged
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. firm — steady
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. degree — temperature
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pass — a permit
  18. degree — from a university
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. firm — decided
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bound — tied together
  24. firm — a company

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