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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 120 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: arm · game · bay · mouse · pass · tube · degree · ball

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. tube — a container
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. tube — the underground
  9. degree — an amount
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. degree — from a university
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ball — a great time
  22. game — a match
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. ball — a round shape

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