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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. degree — an amount
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rush — hurry
  13. prune — to trim
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. dip — to sink
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. degree — temperature
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. degree — from a university
  24. prune — to trim

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