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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: swing · scale · degree · season · lie · mouse · perch · safe

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. season — in sport
  3. lie — to recline
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. swing — in golf
  6. season — of the year
  7. perch — the fish
  8. degree — an amount
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. scale — in music
  15. degree — from a university
  16. scale — size or range
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. swing — music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. swing — to play on
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. safe — out of danger

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