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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 · board · lie · bowl · mouse · firm · straw · present

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. firm — a company
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. degree — from a university
  5. degree — an amount
  6. present — the time now
  7. degree — temperature
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. board — to get on
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lie — to recline
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. board — a committee

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