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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 120 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: bowl · scale · mug · cabinet · degree · pop · fine · bound

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. mug — to rob
  3. degree — an amount
  4. fine — all right
  5. bound — tied together
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. degree — temperature
  10. pop — soda
  11. fine — high quality
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. degree — from a university
  17. mug — a face
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — obliged
  22. scale — in music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. cabinet — ministers

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