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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. degree — temperature
  5. rock — a stone
  6. season — in sport
  7. rock — music
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bound — certain
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bound — obliged
  17. season — of the year
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — an amount
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

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