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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.

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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: mate · swing · rush · rest · stick · march · degree · leaves

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. swing — in golf
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. swing — music
  5. march — the month
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rest — what's left
  8. march — the month
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mate — a friend
  12. march — music
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. degree — temperature
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. swing — to play on
  17. degree — an amount
  18. mate — a partner
  19. rest — a break
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rush — hurry

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