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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 · bowl · row · perch · snap · roll · board · bound

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. roll — a list
  3. board — to get on
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bound — tied together
  6. snap — to click
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. roll — a cake
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bound — certain
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. row — a line
  19. board — a committee
  20. perch — the fish
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bound — obliged

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