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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bulb — for light
  5. degree — from a university
  6. bulb — for light
  7. board — to get on
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. foot — a measure
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. degree — temperature
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. chair — a leader
  16. ball — a great time
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. degree — an amount
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. hide — to keep secret

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