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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.

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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: date · roll · degree · mouse · suit · firm · tear · drill

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. roll — a cake
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — steady
  9. tear — from crying
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. drill — the tool
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. tear — to rip
  15. degree — an amount
  16. suit — to fit
  17. firm — decided
  18. suit — clothes
  19. degree — from a university
  20. suit — in cards
  21. drill — a practice
  22. tear — from crying
  23. drill — army training
  24. degree — temperature

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