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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. degree — from a university
  3. race — the arms race
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. craft — boats
  12. mate — a partner
  13. race — humankind
  14. pop — music
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pop — to visit
  17. race — a contest
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pop — soda
  21. mate — a friend
  22. degree — an amount
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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