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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. board — to get on
  7. club — for golf
  8. degree — an amount
  9. court — of law
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. board — a committee
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. dip — to sink
  16. mark — a trace
  17. club — a group
  18. degree — temperature
  19. court — for sport
  20. club — for dancing
  21. mark — a grade
  22. court — of a king
  23. degree — from a university
  24. board — a flat piece

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