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

Word bank: present · stand · lie · wave · degree · lash · board · bowl

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. degree — from a university
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. present — the time now
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. degree — temperature
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. degree — an amount
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. present — there
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wave — with your hand

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