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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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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: pass · degree · wave · race · mark · pound · pop · suit

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pop — to visit
  5. race — the arms race
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pop — soda
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. race — humankind
  15. pound — a weight
  16. degree — temperature
  17. mark — a grade
  18. degree — from a university
  19. race — a contest
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. degree — an amount
  22. pass — a permit
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pound — to hit hard

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