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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — for dancing
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. degree — temperature
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bound — tied together
  9. degree — an amount
  10. staff — employees
  11. rock — a stone
  12. staff — a stick
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. staff — employees
  17. bound — certain
  18. rock — music
  19. club — a group
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bound — obliged
  22. craft — boats
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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