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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.

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: pass · bear · degree · bound · track · toast · cabinet · court

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. degree — an amount
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. court — of law
  6. degree — temperature
  7. toast — bread
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bound — obliged
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bound — tied together
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — for sport
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. bound — certain
  22. bear — the animal
  23. degree — from a university
  24. toast — the most admired

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