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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: mate · mouse · trunk · rush · rest · degree · suit · squash

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. mate — a partner
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. squash — to crush
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. squash — the sport
  15. mate — to breed
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rush — hurry
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mate — a friend
  21. rest — a break
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. degree — temperature
  24. degree — from a university

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