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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. degree — from a university
  3. row — to paddle
  4. degree — an amount
  5. present — there
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. chair — a leader
  8. row — a line
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ground — crushed
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. degree — temperature
  15. ground — a position
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. ground — the earth
  18. present — a gift
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. deal — to handle
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. deal — an agreement

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