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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. degree — temperature
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. board — to get on
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. degree — an amount
  12. chip — for betting
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. board — a committee
  15. degree — from a university
  16. lie — to recline
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. chip — to eat
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. roll — a list
  23. scale — size or range
  24. roll — a cake

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