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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: dip · wave · toast · field · mouse · scale · degree · craft

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. field — for sport
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. field — farmland
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. scale — size or range
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. toast — bread
  15. degree — an amount
  16. field — a subject
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — from a university
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. scale — in music
  24. craft — a skill

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