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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
468
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: key · rash · wind · bass · mouse · degree · bore · craft

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bass — low music
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. rash — a series
  5. degree — from a university
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. degree — an amount
  9. bore — to drill
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. craft — boats
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bore — to tire
  17. key — for a lock
  18. degree — temperature
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. craft — a skill
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rash — hasty

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