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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. degree — from a university
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — a contest
  8. staff — a stick
  9. race — humankind
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. degree — an amount
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rush — hurry
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. staff — employees
  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