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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 116 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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. drill — the tool
  3. scale — size or range
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. can — to be able to
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ball — a dance
  8. drill — a practice
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. degree — from a university
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fork — in a road
  14. degree — an amount
  15. scale — in music
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. can — a tin
  18. ball — a great time
  19. can — a tin
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. drill — army training

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