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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 120 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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. degree — from a university
  3. stock — shares
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. scale — in music
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. scale — size or range
  10. degree — temperature
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. stock — goods
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. suit — to fit
  16. degree — an amount
  17. mark — a grade
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bank — for money
  24. mark — a trace

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