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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: bay · fan · rash · mate · deal · degree · firm · mouse

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rash — a series
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. firm — decided
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. degree — temperature
  14. degree — an amount
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. deal — to handle
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. mate — a partner
  23. degree — from a university
  24. rash — on the skin

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