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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: degree · bear · stick · present · racket · bay

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. present — there
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. degree — from a university
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. degree — an amount
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. degree — temperature
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bear — to put up with

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