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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. fine — all right
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fine — high quality
  7. degree — an amount
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pit — in a race
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. degree — temperature
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. press — to push
  19. board — a committee
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. board — to get on
  24. degree — from a university

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