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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.

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: racket · dip · cabinet · roll · rock · degree · bowl · pass

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. bowl — a football final
  2. roll — a list
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. roll — a cake
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. degree — temperature
  12. rock — a stone
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rock — music
  19. degree — an amount
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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