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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mate — a partner
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. mate — to breed
  6. degree — from a university
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. firm — decided
  10. mate — a friend
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. firm — steady
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. craft — boats
  19. firm — a company
  20. degree — temperature
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bowl — to roll

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