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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bound — tied together
  6. current — of water
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. current — electric
  9. current — happening now
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — obliged

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