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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. roll — a list
  3. degree — temperature
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. degree — an amount
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bass — low music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. degree — from a university
  12. board — a committee
  13. roll — a cake
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bass — the fish
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. mark — a trace
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. board — to get on
  24. bass — the instrument

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