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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 120 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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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: track · swing · bark · nail · stand · degree · pass · temple

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. swing — to play on
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. track — a song
  7. stand — to bear
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. degree — an amount
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bark — to shout
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. degree — temperature
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. track — a path
  20. track — to keep track
  21. swing — music
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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