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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: track · mate · current · degree · fine · straw · mouse · leaves

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. track — a path
  3. track — to keep track
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. degree — an amount
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mate — to breed
  11. degree — from a university
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. fine — high quality
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — a friend
  19. fine — all right
  20. track — a song
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. degree — temperature
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. straw — a straw man

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