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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 · present · stock · degree · cabinet · spring · land · arm

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. spring — of water
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stock — goods
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. degree — temperature
  9. present — the time now
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. land — to come down
  14. degree — from a university
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. spring — a coil
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — shares
  20. degree — an amount
  21. present — there
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  24. present — a gift

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