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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
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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: patient · court · dip · ball · bowl · mark · mate · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. dip — to sink
  5. court — for sport
  6. mark — a trace
  7. degree — an amount
  8. court — of law
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. degree — from a university
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mate — a partner
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mate — a friend
  23. court — of a king
  24. bowl — a dish

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