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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.

Make a worksheet

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: game · mark · pass · rest · lie · degree · date · fan

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. degree — temperature
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pass — a permit
  6. degree — an amount
  7. lie — to recline
  8. game — a match
  9. mark — a grade
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. mark — a trace
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — the fruit
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. degree — from a university
  17. rest — a break
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. game — wild animals
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fan — a supporter

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