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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.

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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 · pit · lean · mate · object · bay · track · racket

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. track — a song
  3. degree — temperature
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. object — an aim
  8. track — a path
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. track — to keep track
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. object — to protest
  14. degree — from a university
  15. pit — a hole
  16. lean — to bend
  17. degree — an amount
  18. object — a thing
  19. mate — a partner
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mate — to breed

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