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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. degree — from a university
  4. swing — music
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. present — there
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. board — to get on
  9. swing — in golf
  10. present — a gift
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. board — a committee
  14. present — the time now
  15. cap — a lid
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cap — of ice
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. degree — an amount
  22. degree — temperature
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. swing — to play on

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