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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
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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: bass · hide · mouse · degree · nail · stock · fan · season

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. degree — temperature
  5. degree — an amount
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bass — the fish
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bass — low music
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. season — of the year
  24. nail — for a hammer

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