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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 120 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. chair — a leader
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. row — to paddle
  6. degree — from a university
  7. mark — a trace
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mark — a grade
  10. degree — temperature
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. degree — an amount
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ball — a great time
  23. scale — in music
  24. racket — a loud noise

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