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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: key · fine · degree · mouse · dip · chip · field · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. degree — from a university
  3. key — in music
  4. degree — temperature
  5. degree — an amount
  6. field — for sport
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chip — to eat
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. key — for a lock
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. field — farmland
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. fine — high quality
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. field — a subject

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