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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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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 · degree · pass · leaves · racket · deal · pound · tube

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. tube — a container
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pound — a weight
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pass — a permit
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. degree — an amount
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. degree — temperature
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. degree — from a university
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — music
  24. deal — a big deal

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