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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: pitcher · board · foot · pound · face · perch · lean · degree

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. degree — temperature
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. board — to get on
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to point toward
  11. lean — to bend
  12. degree — from a university
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pound — a weight
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. face — to confront
  20. degree — an amount
  21. lean — thin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. board — a committee
  24. perch — the fish

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