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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pop — music
  3. degree — temperature
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. degree — from a university
  7. bulb — for light
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. board — to get on
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. pop — soda
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. branch — a division
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. degree — an amount

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