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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. current — happening now
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. row — a line
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. firm — decided
  10. row — to paddle
  11. tube — a container
  12. firm — steady
  13. degree — temperature
  14. firm — a company
  15. degree — from a university
  16. current — electric
  17. degree — an amount
  18. tube — the underground
  19. perch — the fish
  20. current — of water
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. season — in sport
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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