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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. degree — an amount
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. degree — from a university
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. face — to point toward
  10. degree — temperature
  11. current — electric
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. board — to get on
  14. swing — music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. row — to paddle
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bear — the animal
  21. row — a line
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. board — a committee

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