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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. clip — for paper
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. degree — an amount
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. drill — army training
  12. board — to get on
  13. drill — the tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. degree — temperature
  16. degree — from a university
  17. clip — a video
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bulb — for light
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bulb — for light

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