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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: tube · degree · present · mouse · suit · key · bass · kick

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  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. degree — from a university
  2. tube — the underground
  3. present — the time now
  4. key — for a lock
  5. present — there
  6. tube — a container
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. key — in music
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. kick — in football
  11. bass — low music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. suit — in cards
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. present — a gift
  22. bass — the fish
  23. degree — an amount
  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