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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: fan · date · roll · mouse · net · chest · leaves · degree

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. degree — temperature
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. degree — from a university
  5. chest — a box
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. net — in sport
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. roll — a list
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. chest — of your body
  16. degree — an amount
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. net — for catching
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. net — after costs
  23. roll — a cake
  24. roll — on a roll

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