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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: kick · board · degree · racket · nail · mate · rock · wave

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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. mate — a friend
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. degree — from a university
  4. mate — to breed
  5. degree — temperature
  6. rock — a stone
  7. board — to get on
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mate — a partner
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. degree — an amount
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rock — music
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. board — a committee
  23. kick — in football
  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