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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
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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: mine · board · bore · present · current · craft · degree · bowl

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. degree — temperature
  3. current — of water
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. board — a committee
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. current — electric
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. current — happening now
  16. mine — for digging
  17. board — to get on
  18. craft — a skill
  19. present — there
  20. bore — to tire
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bore — to drill
  23. craft — boats
  24. mine — an explosive

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