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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: degree · hide · temple · rush · mouse · race · mate · trunk

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mate — a partner
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. race — the arms race
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. race — a contest
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. degree — from a university
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — temperature
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rush — hurry
  22. race — humankind
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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