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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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. degree — an amount
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. toast — bread
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. degree — from a university
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bound — certain
  21. stock — goods
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. row — a line
  24. stock — shares

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