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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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. board — to get on
  3. bank — for money
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. degree — temperature
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bear — the animal
  12. degree — an amount
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bank — for money
  15. face — to confront
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bank — of a river
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. board — a committee
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bear — the animal

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