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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: leaves · court · degree · rash · rock · nail · hide · mouse

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — for sport
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rash — a series
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. degree — from a university
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. court — of law
  16. degree — temperature
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. degree — an amount

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