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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. degree — temperature
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. object — a thing
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. board — a committee
  10. degree — from a university
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. degree — an amount

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