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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mug — a cup
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. mug — to rob
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. mug — a face
  24. degree — temperature

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