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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. degree — temperature
  3. craft — boats
  4. degree — from a university
  5. track — a song
  6. court — for sport
  7. degree — an amount
  8. track — a path
  9. court — of law
  10. squash — the sport
  11. can — to be able to
  12. court — of a king
  13. key — for a lock
  14. squash — to crush
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. key — in music
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. track — to keep track
  22. can — a tin
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. key — the most important part

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