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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 116 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: cabinet · mouse · ball · degree · stand · rest · bowl · mug

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. mug — a cup
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mug — to rob
  6. degree — an amount
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. degree — temperature
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mug — a face
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. degree — from a university
  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