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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mate — a friend
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. degree — temperature
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. pound — a weight
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. degree — an amount
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. plane — a tool
  16. degree — from a university
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rock — music
  21. rash — a series
  22. mate — to breed
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rash — on the skin

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