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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 120 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 · board · fall · bulb · pit · degree · bear · cap

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fall — to drop
  8. degree — temperature
  9. degree — an amount
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fall — the season
  13. bulb — for light
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. cap — of ice
  18. board — a committee
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. degree — from a university
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. pit — in a race
  23. board — to get on
  24. fall — to drop

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