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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: spring · season · spell · rash · degree · chair · mouse · can

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. season — in sport
  5. degree — from a university
  6. rash — a series
  7. can — a tin
  8. spell — magic
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. spring — a coil
  13. can — a tin
  14. spring — of water
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. spell — letters
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. season — of the year
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. rash — hasty
  23. degree — an amount
  24. spring — the season

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