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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. present — there
  3. court — of law
  4. board — to get on
  5. present — a gift
  6. board — a committee
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. degree — temperature
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. present — the time now
  15. degree — an amount
  16. court — of a king
  17. bear — the animal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. court — for sport
  24. degree — from a university

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