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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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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. degree — temperature
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. board — to get on
  5. present — there
  6. degree — an amount
  7. pit — a hole
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. present — the time now
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. present — a gift
  13. board — a committee
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. degree — from a university
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. mouse — the animal

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