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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: bound · degree · wake · race · stock · bay · lean · bowl

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. lean — thin
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. degree — an amount
  8. stock — goods
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. race — a contest
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bound — certain
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. degree — from a university
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. race — the arms race
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. race — humankind

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