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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 university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. degree — temperature
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. object — an aim
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. degree — an amount
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. object — to protest
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. object — a thing
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. mouse — 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