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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · degree · fine · mate · suit · mouse

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. degree — an amount
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. degree — temperature
  5. mate — to breed
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mate — a partner
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mate — a friend
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. degree — from a university
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. 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