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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 116 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bank — for money
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — completely
  8. degree — temperature
  9. club — a group
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. club — for dancing
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. degree — an amount
  18. degree — from a university
  19. scale — size or range
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. club — for golf

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