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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 · degree · rush · pit · bass · track · mark · bowl

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. degree — temperature
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pit — in a race
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. track — a path
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. degree — from a university
  20. bass — low music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pit — a hole
  24. track — a song

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