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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 · scale · nail · leaves · suit · snap · rush

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. scale — size or range
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. degree — an amount
  7. scale — in music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to click
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rush — hurry
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. suit — to fit
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. suit — clothes
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. suit — in cards
  24. degree — from a university

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