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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 116 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 · object · pit · rash · swing · stand · saw · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. swing — in golf
  5. object — an aim
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. degree — an amount
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rash — a series
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. saw — the tool
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. swing — music
  16. rash — hasty
  17. swing — to play on
  18. saw — the tool
  19. degree — temperature
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stand — to bear
  24. degree — from a university

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