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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: game · stick · degree · pass · mouse · ball · race · branch

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. degree — temperature
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ball — a dance
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ball — a great time
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — the arms race
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. game — wild animals
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. branch — a division
  19. race — humankind
  20. pass — a permit
  21. degree — an amount
  22. degree — from a university
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. game — a match

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