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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — from a university
  4. perch — the fish
  5. degree — an amount
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. toast — bread
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rock — music
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bass — low music
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bass — the instrument

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