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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 120 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: pass · bark · can · tear · rash · pit · nail · degree

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. degree — an amount
  3. pass — a permit
  4. can — a tin
  5. rash — a series
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. degree — from a university
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — to rip
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bark — to shout
  15. degree — temperature
  16. rash — hasty
  17. tear — from crying
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. can — a tin
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — a hole

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