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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mug · wave · stick · season · bore · trunk · degree · bear

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. season — in sport
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mug — a cup
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. degree — an amount
  17. season — of the year
  18. degree — from a university
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. mug — a face
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. degree — temperature

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