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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. degree — temperature
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. degree — an amount
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — of the year
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. scale — in music
  9. rule — government
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. row — a line
  12. scale — size or range
  13. season — in sport
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. toast — bread
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rule — a law
  20. degree — from a university
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. scale — for weighing

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