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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 116 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: degree · ball · rush · stock · drill · pound · trunk · pass

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. drill — a practice
  3. stock — shares
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. drill — army training
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stock — goods
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pass — a permit
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — an amount
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. drill — the tool
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rush — hurry

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