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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: mouse · mark · fork · mug · bulb · wave · capital · degree

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. degree — temperature
  11. capital — a city
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. capital — money
  16. degree — an amount
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mug — a face
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. degree — from a university
  22. mug — a cup
  23. fork — in a road
  24. mouse — for a computer

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