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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: mouse · firm · bulb · degree · rest · bass · field · leaves

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. field — for sport
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bass — the fish
  5. field — a subject
  6. firm — decided
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — an amount
  17. field — farmland
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rest — a break
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — a company

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