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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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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: scale · degree · can · mouse · march · deal · mate · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. scale — size or range
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. mate — to breed
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. degree — temperature
  11. march — music
  12. degree — an amount
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. degree — from a university
  17. march — the month
  18. can — a tin
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. march — the month
  21. mate — a friend
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. scale — in music

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