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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. cap — a hat
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. degree — an amount
  5. degree — from a university
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. cap — a lid
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. present — the time now
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cap — of ice
  14. present — a gift
  15. perch — the fish
  16. charge — electricity
  17. present — there
  18. charge — in control
  19. vault — a safe
  20. charge — a price
  21. wound — an injury
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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