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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. capital — money
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. toast — bread
  15. degree — temperature
  16. degree — an amount
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. capital — a city

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