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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.

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: board · degree · rash · calf · cap · ground · stick · season

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — crushed
  4. degree — temperature
  5. degree — an amount
  6. cap — of ice
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. season — in sport
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. board — a committee
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. board — to get on
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. degree — from a university
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. cap — a lid
  20. ground — a position
  21. cap — a hat
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. rash — a series

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