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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
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: staff · hide · mouse · stand · degree · pitcher · bank · tube

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bank — for money
  5. staff — employees
  6. degree — an amount
  7. staff — employees
  8. bank — of a river
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. tube — a container
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. degree — temperature
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. tube — the underground
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. degree — from a university
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bank — for money
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. hide — to keep secret

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