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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: degree · roll · wave · mouse · bass · mug · firm · present

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. mug — a cup
  3. firm — a company
  4. present — the time now
  5. roll — a list
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. present — there
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. firm — decided
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — from a university
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bass — low music
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. firm — steady
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bass — the fish
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. present — a gift

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