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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: saw · mug · tear · key · wave · mouse · row · degree

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. mug — to rob
  3. row — a line
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. mug — a face
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. row — to paddle
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. key — the most important part
  13. saw — the tool
  14. key — in music
  15. tear — to rip
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. degree — temperature
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. degree — an amount
  21. saw — the tool
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. degree — from a university
  24. key — for a lock

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