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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: mouse · degree · object · stock · spell · date · jam · straw

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. date — the fruit
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. spell — a short time
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stock — goods
  9. degree — temperature
  10. object — to protest
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. degree — an amount
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. spell — letters
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stock — shares
  21. spell — magic
  22. degree — from a university
  23. object — a thing
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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