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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. degree — an amount
  3. present — a gift
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. board — to get on
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. present — the time now
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. board — a committee
  13. degree — temperature
  14. bear — the animal
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. degree — from a university
  18. present — there
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. perch — the fish
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — a sauce

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