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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: degree · staff · bear · fine · firm · rash · rest · bay

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. firm — steady
  4. fine — all right
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. degree — from a university
  8. firm — a company
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rash — hasty
  11. staff — employees
  12. degree — temperature
  13. rest — a break
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. degree — an amount
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bear — the animal
  23. firm — decided
  24. rest — what's left

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