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

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — an amount
  5. suit — clothes
  6. kick — in football
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bass — low music
  10. capital — money
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. mark — a grade
  13. suit — in cards
  14. capital — a city
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bear — the animal
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mark — a trace
  20. degree — from a university
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bass — the fish
  24. mouse — for a computer

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