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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: lean · stand · pass · bat · track · degree · craft · cue

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. lean — thin
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stand — to bear
  11. craft — a skill
  12. degree — from a university
  13. lean — to bend
  14. track — a song
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bat — the animal
  17. cue — a signal
  18. track — a path
  19. track — to keep track
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. craft — boats
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  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