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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 116 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. degree — from a university
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. can — a tin
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. degree — temperature
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bass — the fish
  15. degree — an amount
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. can — a tin
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bass — low music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rash — a series
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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