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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bear — the animal
  3. race — a contest
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. degree — temperature
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. rest — a break
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — to get on
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. race — humankind
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. rest — what's left
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. race — the arms race
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. degree — from a university

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