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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: wake · tube · saw · firm · stand · degree · rush · rock

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stand — to bear
  4. firm — a company
  5. wake — a trail
  6. tube — a container
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. firm — steady
  10. degree — an amount
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rush — hurry
  16. degree — from a university
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. firm — decided
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rock — music
  24. degree — temperature

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