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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: roll · hide · degree · cabinet · mouse · foot · object · ball

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. ball — a dance
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. roll — a list
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — temperature
  8. object — to protest
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. object — an aim
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. foot — a measure
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. roll — a cake
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. degree — an amount
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ball — a great time
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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