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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.

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: degree · pitcher · object · key · trunk · march · fan · racket

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. degree — temperature
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. key — in music
  5. object — to protest
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. key — the most important part
  8. degree — an amount
  9. march — the month
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. march — the month
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. key — for a lock
  17. object — a thing
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. march — music
  20. object — an aim
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. degree — from a university
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. fan — a supporter

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