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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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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 · cap · net · firm · chip · club · bay · degree

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. net — in sport
  3. club — a group
  4. firm — steady
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. firm — decided
  9. degree — an amount
  10. cap — a hat
  11. degree — temperature
  12. present — there
  13. cap — a lid
  14. net — after costs
  15. firm — a company
  16. present — the time now
  17. net — for catching
  18. cap — of ice
  19. present — a gift
  20. degree — from a university
  21. chip — to eat
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  24. chip — in a computer

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