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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: fan · degree · fine · mate · suit · mouse · cap · craft

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. degree — from a university
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. craft — boats
  7. fine — high quality
  8. mate — a friend
  9. fine — all right
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. degree — temperature
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cap — of ice
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. degree — an amount
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. cap — a lid

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