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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: race · chip · can · ball · trunk · stand · pass · degree

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — humankind
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. can — to be able to
  6. degree — temperature
  7. pass — a permit
  8. degree — from a university
  9. stand — to bear
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. chip — to eat
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. can — a tin
  14. degree — an amount
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. can — a tin
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. chip — for betting
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. race — the arms race

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